COCHLEAR POLYAMINES - MARKERS OF OTITIS MEDIA-INDUCED COCHLEAR DAMAGE

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) set to the femtoliter se nsitivity level was used to identify and quantify the polyamines sperm idine and spermine as well as the diamine putrescine in the different tissues of the inner ears of guinea pigs with experimentally induced o titis media. The tissues examined were the lateral wall (stria vascula ris and the spiral ligament), the organ of Corti, and the cochlear ner ve. The difference in polyamine profile in the different tissues of th e control noninfected guinea pigs suggests a relation to the particula r function of each of these tissues. The difference in polyamine profi le in infected different inner ear tissues compared to controls encour ages the assumption that the polyamines may be involved in a repair pr ocess of the inner ear after injury and that they may be considered as biochemical markers for inner ear damage secondary to acute otitis me dia.