Vol 49, No 3 (2011)
Original paper
Published online: 2011-10-28
Participation of mast cells in chronic otitis media
DOI: 10.5603/FHC.2011.0068
Folia Histochem Cytobiol 2011;49(3):479-485.
Abstract
In the pathogenesis of chronic otitis media (COM), much attention is paid to the molecular mechanisms
of local inflammatory reactions in which mast cells (MCs) may be involved due to their role not only in allergic but
also inflammatory processes. The aim of this study was to assess the density of mast cells in chronic otitis media in
relationship to different clinical courses of COM, bacterial infections and types of disease. The MCs expression
was measured immunohistochemically in paraffin-embedded granulation tissue specimens taken during surgery,
by staining with a monoclonal antibody against tryptase. The density of tryptase-positive mast cells was lower in
tissue samples from the group with a good clinical course than in those from the group with poor healing and
recurrence (p = 0.006). There were no differences between the groups of patients with granulomatous and cholesteatomatous
chronic otitis media (p = 0.66) or between the groups of patients with and without bacterial infection
(p = 0.30), although the density of mast cells was lower for those with Pseudomonas aeruginosa/Proteus sp./
/Staphyloccocus MRSA infection. In conclusion, the expression of mast cells in chronic otitis media granulation
tissue was found to differ depending on the clinical course of the disease, but not on bacterial infection or type of
COM. This may suggest that mast cells contribute to the maintenance of the inflammatory process, but not to
antibacterial defense in chronic otitis media. (Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 2011; Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 479–485)
Keywords: chronic otitis mediagranulation tissuemast cellstryptase
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