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Cyclo-oxygenase enzyme in the perilymph of human inner ear
Giuseppe Attanasio1, Marika Viccaro, Edoardo Covelli
1Department of Sensory Organs, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy. giuseppe.attanasio@uniroma1.it
Conclusions:
Cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme would not appear to be constitutively expressed in human perilymph while it is always induced in the perilymph of patients affected by sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The COX-2 isoform may be involved in hearing loss and, therefore, pathological states of the inner ear should possibly be further analyzed to clarify the clinical relevance of prostaglandin and selective COX-2 antagonist therapy.
Objectives:
Perilymph samples from a group of patients with bilateral SNHL and another with conductive hearing loss were collected to evaluate the presence of the COX-2 enzyme. The possible correlation between different causes of deafness and the expression of COX-2 in the human ear was studied.
Methods:
A prospective clinical study of 14 patients with severe or profound hearing loss who underwent cochlear implant surgery and 4 patients with conductive hearing loss who underwent stapes surgery was carried out. Western blot analysis of perilymph samples was performed with monoclonal anti-human COX-2 antibody.
Results:
COX-2 enzyme was detected in all patients affected by SNHL and was absent in all those with conductive hearing loss due to otosclerosis.
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