title: Immunohistochemical profile of various neurotransmitters, neurotrophins and MIB-1 in cholesteatomas of the petrous bone.
abstract: Compared to the normal epidermal epithelium, cholesteatomas have altered growth properties characterized by the excessive growth of keratinocytes leading to mucosal destruction. Either congenital or acquired, these lesions, which grow in the middle ear space, the petrous apex or the mastoid of temporal bones, are mostly considered benign skin tumoral lesions. However, many questions remain concerning their pathophysiology. Numerous studies have been proposed to identify those cholesteatoma lesions at risk of recurrence, a possible event that may cause hearing loss. We examined patients with petrous apex or mastoid cholesteatoma in order to analyze the expression of various neurotransmitters, neurotrophins and their receptors and the Ki-67 antigen for identification of a possible relationship between clinical outcome and histopathological behaviour in terms of the proliferative activity of cholesteatomas. Expression of the analyzed molecules was studied using immunohistochemical methods in seven adult patients with petrous apex cholesteatoma who underwent surgical removal of the lesion. Our results, in accordance with published data, confirm that Molecular Immunology Borstel-1 (MIB-1) and certain neurotransmitters could be useful in the prognostic evaluation of the risk of recurrence of aggressive forms of cholesteatoma.
authors.affiliation: G. Ferreri Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Audiology and Phoniatry, University of Rome 'La Sapienza', Policlinico Umberto I, I-00161 Rome, Italy. marco.artico@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Artico
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bronzetti
authors.forename: Vincenza Rita
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Lo Vasco
authors.forename: Brunella
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ionta
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alicino
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Ambrosio
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Magliulo