Immune modulatory oligonucleotides in the prevention and treatment of OVA-induced eustachian tube dysfunction in rats.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is often associated with allergies. Immune modulatory oligonucleotides (IMO) mediate allergic inflammation and may therefore be efficacious in the treatment of airway inflammation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of an IMO via transtympanic mucosal application in prevention and treatment of ovalbumin-induced OME. DESIGN: Forty brown Norway rats were divided into control and treatment groups. Eustachian tube dysfunction was evaluated by passive opening pressures, passive closing pressures, active clearance of negative pressure, and mucociliary clearance transit time. RESULTS: Rats who underwent IMO treatment required 50% less pressure to open and close the eustachian tube (P < 0.05) and were able to actively clear 50% more negative pressure than the ovalbumin-control rats (P < 0.001). The treatment rats' mucociliary clearance time was half that of the control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: IMO via transtympanic application can prevent and treat allergy-induced eustachian tube dysfunction in rats. IMO may offer substantial promise in the future management of OME.