SPONTANEOUS IMMUNOGLOBULIN PRODUCTION BY ADENOIDAL AND TONSILLAR LYMPHOCYTES IN RELATION TO AGE AND OTITIS-MEDIA WITH EFFUSION

Spontaneous immunoglobulin (Ig) production by autologous adenoidal and tonsillar lymphocytes cultured without any mitogen was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 18 children with or with out otitis media with effusion (OME). Both IgG and IgA levels synthesi zed by adenoidal or tonsillar lymphocytes significantly increased with age. The average concentrations of IgG and IgA produced by adenoidal lymphocytes from children with OME were significantly lower than those from children without OME. Adenoidal lymphocytes produced IgG and IgM af significantly lower levels than autologous tonsillar lymphocytes d id in children with OME. In contrast, no significant difference betwee n adenoidal and tonsillar lymphocytes was seen on Ig production for an y isotypes in children without OME. These results may indicate immunol ogical impairment of the adenoids associated with OME.