PRACTICA OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGICA

Vol. 99  No. May 2006


Proteinases Related to the Bone Destruction and those 
Inhibitors in Human Cholesteatoma of the Middle ear

Takeshi Kusunoki and Kiyotaka Murata
(Kinki University School of Medicine)

  Objective: We examined metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), cathepsin L, and inhibitors (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinse-1 (TIMP-1), cystatin A, and Cu- and Zn-containing superoxide dismutase (Cu, Zn-SOD)) in human cholesteatoma of the middle ear. Using the above data, epithelia and subepithelial granulation was discussed.
Method: Cathepsin L activity in the cholesteatoma epithelium, granulation tissues in cholesteatoma, or granulation tissues in noncholesteatoma were measured using Barrett's method. Cystatin A expressions were observed by Western blot analysis. Moreover, MMP-1, TIMP-1, cathepsin L, and Cu, Zn-SOD were examined immunohistochemically.
Results: Although, MMP-1 and cathepsin L immunohistochemically showed both epithelial and subepithelial granulation, the mean cathepsin L activity was higher in subepithelial than epithelial granulation. Subepithelial granulations with high cathepsin L activity resulted in extensive bone destruction in cholesteatomas. Cystain A and Cu, Zn-SOD with inhibitors of MMP-1 and cathepsin L were more strongly positive in epithelial regions than in subepithelial granulation tissues.
Conclusion: These results suggest that the area related to bone destruction in human cholesteatoma is subepithelial granulation rather than epithelia.


Key words :
metalloproteinase-1, cathepsin, cystatin A, superoxide dismutase, human cholesteatoma


第99巻5号 目次   Vol.99 No.5 contents