Middle ear epithelial mucin production in response to interleukin-6 exposure in vitro.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the regulation of mucin secretion by middle ear epithelia.


METHODS
Primary chinchilla middle ear epithelial cultures were established and exposed to IL-6 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Mucin secretion was characterized by exclusion chromatography and liquid scintillation.


RESULTS
Epithelial cultures exposed to increasing doses of IL-6 demonstrated greater amounts of mucin secretion (p=0.018). Additionally, cultures exposed to IL-6 at 50 ng/ml showed significant increased secretion of mucin over control in time-dependent experiments at 6-, 15- and 24-h time points (p=0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
IL-6 upregulates mucin secretion from cultured middle ear epithelial cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Elucidating the effect of specific cytokines on the regulation of mucin secretion is vital to understanding the pathophysiology of otitis media and the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Kerschner
Joseph E
JE
Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 9000 West Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. kersch@mcw.edu
Meyer
Tanya K
TK
Yang
Chris
C
Burrows
Amy
A
D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002682:Chinchilla; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009077:Mucins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
D015850:Interleukin-6; D009077:Mucins