Related Experiment Videos
Epidermal growth factor expression in middle ear cholesteatoma
Hung-Pin Chi1, Kuen-Yao Ho, Chee-Yin Chai
1Department of Otolaryngology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
|October 16, 2004
Summary
Epidermal growth factor (EGF) expression in middle ear cholesteatoma is similar to normal skin. This suggests cholesteatoma progression may involve autocrine or paracrine stimulation rather than altered EGF distribution.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Pathology
Background:
- Middle ear cholesteatoma causes destructive damage to auditory ossicles and temporal bone.
- Surgical removal of epithelial content is the standard treatment.
- Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is known to stimulate epithelial cell growth and differentiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression and distribution of Epidermal growth factor (EGF) in middle ear cholesteatoma.
- To compare EGF expression in cholesteatoma tissues with normal postauricular skin.
Main Methods:
- The avidin-biotin complex technique was employed.
- EGF expression was evaluated in 40 middle ear cholesteatoma samples (31 active, 9 inactive).
- EGF expression was also assessed in 34 normal postauricular skin samples.
Main Results:
- EGF was expressed in squamous epithelium (53%), fibroblasts (5%), and cholesteatoma endothelium (5%) in middle ear cholesteatoma.
- In normal skin, EGF was found in squamous epithelium (41%) and fibroblasts (3%).
- No statistically significant difference in EGF expression was observed between cholesteatoma and normal skin samples.
Conclusions:
- The distribution of Epidermal growth factor (EGF) in middle ear cholesteatoma is not significantly altered compared to normal skin.
- Cholesteatoma progression may be driven by autocrine stimulation from the cholesteatoma matrix or paracrine stimulation from subepithelial inflammatory cells, or both.