Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine differences of susceptibility to oxidative stress of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) established from Meniere's disease (MD) patients and to examine the effect of ATP treatment in the prognosis and treatment MD. LCLs were established from 10 patients with MD and 10 healthy donors by EBV. Cell viabilities were calculated after treatment of H(2)O(2) with or without ATP. The relationship between the sensitivity of H(2)O(2)-treated LCLs to ATP and the staging scale of MD was examined. The nuclear morphological changes of Hoechst 33258-stained LCLs after H(2)O(2)-treatment were observed under a fluorescence microscope. LCLs from MD were significantly more sensitive (p < 0.001) to H(2)O(2) than LCLs from healthy donors after 3 h of H(2)O(2) treatment. All of the ATP-sensitive LCLs were categorized as Stage 1 or 2, while others categorized as Stage 3 or 4 were not sensitive to ATP. There were significant differences (p < 0.01) of cell viabilities after addition of ATP between H(2)O(2)-treated LCLs classified as Stage 1 or 2 and as Stage 3 or 4 in MD. Both chromatin condensation and swelling of the cell body were observed in H(2)O(2)-treated LCLs. Our findings indicate that LCLs established from MD patients might be used as a unique model to detect susceptibility to oxidative stress and ATP treatment in MD patients. Also, the difference of the sensitivity of H(2)O(2)-treated LCLs to ATP might relate to prognosis and treatment of MD. This system may form the basis of tailor-made therapy for MD.