Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2001 Feb;44(2):124-128.

Compositional difference of middle ear effusion according to viscosity of the effusion

• Choi JY
• Yoon JH
• Lee WS
• Chung MH

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Serous otitis media (SOM) is usually responsive to medical treatment, whereas mucoid otitis media (MOM) is not. This study was undertaken to elucidate the compositional difference between serous and mucoid effusion, and to investigate whether MUC5AC acts as a major mucin in the middle ear mucosa with MOM.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Middle ear effusion (MEE) samples were collected from 29 patients with MOM and 20 patients with SOM. The level of mucin, lysozyme, secretory IgA and interleukin-8 were measured by dot blotting or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Periodic acid-Schiff and immunohistochemical staining with monoclonal anti-MUC5AC antibody were performed on the serial sections of middle ear mucosa with MOM.
RESULTS
Mucoid effusions contained higher levels of mucin, lysozyme, secretory IgA and interleukin-8 than serous effusion. Immunohistological study revealed that MUC5AC mucin was expressed in only a small portion of the goblet cells of middle ear mucosa with MOM.
CONCLUSION
Our study suggests that both serous secretions and mucin might make the middle ear effusion more viscous, and that mucins other than MUC5AC might have a major role in the viscosity of MEE. Further study is necessary to identify the major mucins in the MEE of otitis media with effusion.

Keyword

Otitis media with effusion (OME); Mucin; Lysozyme; Interleukin-8; MUC5AC

MeSH Terms

Ear, Middle*
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Goblet Cells
Humans
Immunoglobulin A, Secretory
Interleukin-8
Mucins
Mucous Membrane
Muramidase
Otitis Media
Otitis Media with Effusion*
Viscosity*
Immunoglobulin A, Secretory
Interleukin-8
Mucins
Muramidase