Growth Factors Influence Growth and Differentiation of the Middle Ear Mucosa

• Published in: The Laryngoscope 2001-05, Vol.111 (5), p.874-880
• Main Authors: Palacios, Sean D., Oehl, Heinz J., Rivkin, Alexander Z., Aletsee, Christoph, Pak, Kwang, Ryan, Allen F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amphiregulin; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Betacellulin; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; differentiation; Ear, auditive nerve, cochleovestibular tract, facial nerve: diseases, semeiology; Ear, Middle - drug effects; EGF Family of Proteins; Epidermal Growth Factor - pharmacology; epithelial cells; Epithelial Cells - drug effects; Fibroblast Growth Factor 7; Fibroblast Growth Factors - pharmacology; Glycoproteins - pharmacology; growth factors; Growth Substances - pharmacology; Hepatocyte Growth Factor - pharmacology; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Keratinocytes; Male; Medical sciences; Middle ear mucosa; Mucous Membrane - drug effects; Neuregulin-1 - pharmacology; Non tumoral diseases; otitis media; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• ISSN: 0023-852X; 1531-4995
• DOI: 10.1097/00005537-200105000-00022

Objective Otitis media is a major cause of morbidity in pediatric and adult patients. This inflammatory condition is characterized by mucosal hyperplasia that is thought to be mediated by the complex actions of growth factors and their respective receptors. It was the purpose of this study to determine which growth factors might be responsible for the growth and differentiation of the middle ear epithelium during otitis media. Study Design The effect of several growth factors on the expansion and differentiation of normal middle ear mucosa was evaluated in tissue culture. Materials and Methods Explants of normal rat middle ear mucosa were exposed in vitro to six different growth factors known to influence epithelial cells in other tissues: epidermal growth factor, amphiregulin, betacellulin, heregulin‐α, keratinocyte growth factor, and hepatocyte growth factor. Results After 12 days, the growth and level of cytokeratin expression were analyzed for each of the explant outgrowths. Each factor appeared to have a significant, concentration‐dependent effect on either the growth or differentiation of the cultured middle ear epithelial cells. Conclusion The results suggest that several of the tested growth factors may play a significant role in controlling hyperplasia of the middle ear mucosa during otitis media.