title: Relationship of endotoxin to tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta in children with otitis media with effusion.
abstract: Sixty-five middle ear effusions and paired sera from 41 children with chronic otitis media with effusion were assayed for endotoxin and for tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) in order to establish whether a correlation exists between the concentrations of endotoxin and of these cytokines. Endotoxin concentration was determined by means of a chromogenic limulus amebocyte lysate assay, and the cytokine concentration by means of a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Forty percent of the effusions had detectable levels of endotoxin, with a mean concentration of 2.9 +/- 7.8 endotoxin units per milligram of total protein. The mean concentration of TNF-alpha was 1.24 +/- 3.1 pg/mg total protein, and that of IL-1 beta was 18.79 pg/mg total protein. A strong, statistically significant correlation exists between the concentrations of endotoxin and TNF-alpha (r = .89) and IL-1 beta (r = .72). The data indicate that endotoxin may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic otitis media with effusion by stimulating the sustained production of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta in the middle ear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus 43210, USA.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Willett
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Rezaee
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Billy
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Tighe
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: DeMaria
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008033:Limulus Test; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins; D007375:Interleukin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha