Activation of the transforming growth factor beta pathway in bacterial otitis media

Yun Woo Lee, Yunju Chung, Steven K. Juhn, Youngki Kim, Jizhen Lin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objectives: Granulation tissue is common in otitis media (OM), yet little is known about the signaling pathways in the formation of granulation tissue in response to infections. In this study, we sought to investigate the activation of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway in the formation of granulation tissue in response to middle ear pathogens. Methods: Rat OM models were made by inoculating pneumococcus type 6A or nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae into the middle ear cavity or by obstructing the eustachian tube. Various pathway activities in the middle ear mucosa were analyzed with microarrays. Results: The TGF-β signaling pathway was highly regulated in the middle ear cleft with bacterial OM, but not in the ears with eustachian tube obstruction. In ears with bacterial OM, the TGF-β signaling pathway products were higher in Haemophilus-infected ears than in pneumococcus-infected ears. Conclusions: Bacterial OM triggers granulation tissue to thrive in the middle ear cleft of rats. Nontypeable H influenzae is more potent than pneumococcus type 6A in the formation of granulation tissue. Eustachian tube obstruction alone did not contribute to granulation tissue formation in the middle ear.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)204-213
Number of pages10
JournalAnnals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology
Volume120
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2011

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
From the Department of Otolaryngology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Supported in part by NIH grant R01 DC008165 and supplement 00010055 from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, and the National Organization for Hearing Research. This study was performed in accordance with the PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, the NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. et seq.); the animal use protocol was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of the University of Minnesota.

Keywords

  • Bacterial otitis media
  • Granulation tissue formation
  • Microarray
  • Rat
  • Transforming growth factor beta pathway

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