Expression of keratinocyte growth factor and its receptor in noncholesteatomatous and cholesteatomatous chronic otitis media.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of the study was to test a hypothesis that the keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) is a key factor in the pathologic difference between cholesteatomatous (C-COM) and noncholesteatomatous chronic otitis media (NC-COM). We compared the expression levels of KGF and its receptor (KGFR) and the proliferation activity of epithelial cells between NC-COM and C-COM.


METHODS
The epithelial lesion was surgically excised with subepithelial tissue from 18 patients with NC-COM and 70 patients with C-COM, and was processed for immunohistochemistry for KGF and KGFR. We also examined the proportion of proliferating epithelial cells using Ki-67 and the extent of infiltrating B and T cells.


RESULTS
Keratinocyte growth factor was positive in 5 of 18 (28%) NC-COM specimens and in 61 of 69 (88%) C-COM specimens (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, 37 (60%) C-COM specimens were positive for KGFR, but none of NC-COM were positive (0%; p < 0.01). The Ki-67 labeling index (LI) was significantly smaller in NC-COM than in C-COM (p < 0.001). B-Cell LI was almost similar in the 2 groups. T-Cell LI was significantly higher in C-COM than in NC-COM (p < 0.0001). Interestingly, T-cell LI in NC-COM was higher in KGF-positive tissues than in KGF-negative tissues (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicated that coexpression of KGF and KGFR seems to explain the pathologic difference between C-COM and NC-COM, and that KGF may play an important role in the development of cholesteatoma.
Yamamoto-Fukuda
Tomomi
T
Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan. tomomiYF@nagasaki-u.ac.jp
Takahashi
Haruo
H
Terakado
Mariko
M
Hishikawa
Yoshitaka
Y
Koji
Takehiko
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D002452:Cell Count; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018424:Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051497:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
D018951:Antigens, CD20; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7; D051497:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2; C065104:keratinocyte growth factor receptor; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens