Interleukin-10 is an essential modulator of mucoid metaplasia in a mouse otitis media model

Objectives: Inflammatory cytokines are involved in the development of mucous cell metaplasia and hyperplasia (MCM) in otitis media (OM). However, which cytokines play an essential role in the MCM of OM is not clear at the moment. Methods: In this study, we hypothesized that interleukin-10 (IL-10) played an indispensable role in the MCM of bacterial OM, and we used IL-10 knockout mice to test this hypothesis. Results: In wild-type mice, both Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae triggered the development of MCM in the middle ear mucosa. In IL-10 knockout mice, the number of goblet cells and mucin-producing cells in the middle ear was significantly reduced after bacterial middle ear infection compared with that in wild-type mice. Conclusions: We conclude that IL-10 plays an essential role in the MCM of bacterial OM. Interleukin-10 is a potential target for the treatment of MCM in OM.