title: Expression of beta-defensins in human middle ear cholesteatoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the eventual presence of human beta-defensins (hBD) in middle ea r cholesteatoma and paired retroauricular skin samples obtained during surgical treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  hBD were detected using immunohistochemical techniques and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  It is hypothesized that hBD-1 and -2 are upregulated in cholesteatoma in comparison with retroauricular skin. The immunohistochemical study demonstrated stronger hBD-2-positive staining in middle ear cholesteatoma in comparison with retroauricular skin. No significant differences in hBD-1 expression were detected between cholesteatoma and skin samples. RT-PCR established elevated expression of hBD-2 mRNA in middle ear cholesteatomas. HBD-1 mRNA was constitutively expressed in cholesteatoma and retroauricular skin specimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These preliminary experimental results lead us to believe that hBD may play an important role in the chronic inflammatory state of middle ear cholesteatoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea. parkkh@madang.ajou.ac.kr
authors.forename: Keehyun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sung-Kyun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Yun-Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choung
authors.forename: Ho Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D018424:Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D046508:Culture Techniques; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D023083:beta-Defensins