Nitrotyrosine in otitis media with effusion.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to investigate mucosal cell injury due to the nitric oxide (NO)-superoxide system in otitis media with effusion.


METHODS
We determined the levels of nitrotyrosine (NT) and NO and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) in 90 middle ear fluid samples.


RESULTS
The NT concentration was significantly higher in group A (<16 years old) than in group C (>50 years old; p < .05), and significantly higher in the acute group than in the chronic group (p < .05). The NO concentration did not show a significant difference among the groups. The activity of SOD showed significant correlations with the concentrations of NT and NO and with LDH activity (p < .05). The LDH activity was significantly greater in group A than in group C (p < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate involvement of the NO-superoxide system in the pathogenesis of otitis media with effusion, showing evidence of protein and/or cell injury in the middle ear.
Hisamatsu
Ken-ichi
K
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nihon University Surugadai Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Inoue
Hajime
H
Makiyama
Kiyoshi
K
Homma
Masami
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003124:Colorimetry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000378:metabolism*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism
D009569:Nitric Oxide; C002744:3-nitrotyrosine; D014443:Tyrosine; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase