lactoferrin and Otitis-Media

The sterility of the eustachian tube and tympanic cavity of normal individuals is maintained not only by the adaptive immune system, but also by the mucociliary system and the antimicrobial molecules of innate immunity. Mucin production and periciliary fluid homeostasis are essential for normal mucociliary function and dysfunction of this system is an important risk factor for otitis media. The secreted antimicrobial molecules of the tubotympanum include lysozyme, lactoferrin, beta defensins, and the surfactant proteins A and D (SP-A, SP-D). Defects in the expression or regulation of these molecules may also be the major risk factor for otitis media.

Topics: Animals; Aquaporins; beta-Defensins; Child; Child, Preschool; Cilia; Disease Susceptibility; Epithelial Cells; Eustachian Tube; Gene Expression Profiling; Glycoproteins; Homeostasis; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Infant; Lactoferrin; Mice; Mucins; Mucus; Muramidase; Otitis Media; Proteolipids; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins; Pulmonary Surfactants; Rabbits; Rats; Tympanic Membrane

Antimicrobial agents (AMAs) and mast cells in chronic otitis media (COM) may play a protective role in the pathogenesis of COM. Among them, our results indicated that lysozyme may be the most important parameter of the mucosa infectivity in COM.. AMAs include alpha 1-antitrypsin (α1-AT), lysozyme, and lactoferrin and exhibit innate immune activity that is known to play a critical role in mucosal defenses. In addition, proteases expressed in mast cells contribute to mucosal defenses. The aim of this study was to identify AMAs responsible for COM as well as their association with middle ear mucosal diseases.. Middle ear mucosa (MEM) was intraoperatively collected by biopsy from patients, diagnosed as COM without or with cholesteatoma, and immediately processed for immunohistochemical study to evaluate expression of AMAs and mast cell proteases (chymase and tryptase).. The AMAs and mast cell enzymes were observed prominently in the chronic middle ear diseases whereas immunoreactivity of α1-AT and lysozyme was not significantly increased in the COM with cholesteatoma compared with that in COM without cholesteatoma. Lactoferrin was not detected in the diseased MEMs.

Topics: Adult; alpha 1-Antitrypsin; Biomarkers; Biopsy; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Lactoferrin; Male; Mast Cells; Middle Aged; Mucous Membrane; Muramidase; Otitis Media

To find the effect of apolactoferrin administration on the middle and inner ears after experimentally induced pneumococcal otitis media.. Histopathologic and morphometric analysis of the middle and inner ears.. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.. Ten chinchillas.. The middle ear cavities of chinchillas were inoculated bilaterally with type 2 wild-type Streptococcus pneumoniae. Twenty-four hours later, the ears of 5 of the animals were injected with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and the other 5 with human apolactoferrin. The animals were killed 24 hours after the last injection. Bacterial counts were made of the middle ear effusions, and the cochleae were processed for histologic analysis. The thickness of the round window membranes and bacterial and inflammatory cell infiltration of the round window membranes, and scala tympani and damage of the hair cells and stria vascularis were compared for these 2 groups of animals.. Comparison of inflammatory and bacterial cells in the middle and inner ears, and damage to inner ear structures.. Bacterial plate counts of middle ear effusions (P  = .005) and the number of inflammatory cells in the round window membrane (P  = .047) were significantly lower in the apolactoferrin group compared with the group treated with PBS.. Further investigation of apolactoferrin as a nonantibiotic approach for the treatment of otitis media and its complications is needed to confirm its safety and efficacy.

Topics: Animals; Apoproteins; Chinchilla; Lactoferrin; Otitis Media; Pneumococcal Infections; Streptococcus pneumoniae

A 24-year-old woman suffering from post-influenza otitis media infection was initially treated with several series of a steroid (Elocon) and a combination of steroids and antibiotics (Atecortin, Dicortineff) without significant medical benefit. The isolated bacterial strains were identified as Staphylococcus homis and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Specific phage therapy applied sequentially over a period of three weeks resulted only in a partial reduction in inflammation and limited improvement in overall health condition. Oral application of lactoferrin (LF; 50-mg daily oral doses for seven days with two-week intervals) led to a complete clearance of both bacterial strains and full recovery of the patient. The recovery was associated with increased myelopoiesis and a sustained elevation of serum endogenous LF. In conclusion, specific bacteriophage therapy combined with the administration of lactoferrin proved to be effective in the treatment of antibiotic-resistant external ear infection.

Topics: Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antiviral Agents; Bacterial Infections; Drug Combinations; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Fludrocortisone; Gramicidin; Humans; Lactoferrin; Neomycin; Otitis Media; Penicillin G; Staphylococcus epidermidis; Staphylococcus hominis; Treatment Outcome

A common complication of virus-induced upper respiratory tract infections is acute otitis media caused by bacterial pathogens. Simultaneously, increased bacterial colonization in the nasopharynx occurs. Our intention in this study was to identify the causes of this increased colonization of bacteria by evaluating their coating with the antibacterial substances lysozyme, lactoferrin and immunoglobulins IgG, S-IgA and IgM and their ability to penetrate epithelial cells during infectious mononucleosis (IM) caused by Epstein-Barr virus.. Cellular samples were collected from the oropharynx of 21 patients (16 males, five females; age range 10-21 years) with current IM. An immunocytochemical assay using gold-labelled antiserum to human lysozyme, lactoferrin, IgG, S-IgA and IgM followed by gold particle and epithelial cell tracing in the transmission electron microscope.. A significant reduction in bacterial coating with IgG (P<0.05) and S-IgA (P<0.01) was noted, whereas there was a significant increase in coating with lactoferrin (P<0.01) and IgM (P<0.01). No significant change in lysozyme coating of the bacteria was noted, compared with healthy controls. Bacterial penetration into epithelial cells was seen particularly in patients culture-positive for beta-haemolytic streptococci.. Reduced bacterial coating with IgG and S-IgA immunoglobulins, combined with bacterial penetration into epithelial cells, may exacerbate the bacterial colonization on oropharyngeal mucosal membranes observed during IM.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Case-Control Studies; Child; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Epithelial Cells; Female; Herpesvirus 4, Human; Humans; Immunity, Mucosal; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin M; Infectious Mononucleosis; Lactoferrin; Male; Microscopy, Electron; Muramidase; Nasal Mucosa; Nasopharynx; Otitis Media; Pharyngitis

Recent studies have suggested to us that the middle ear is an organ capable of responding immunologically to antigenic substance. However, it is still not known when and how the middle ear starts to provide the immunologic defense system. To clarify this, we investigated immunoglobulin forming cells of different classes and secretory proteins, such as secretory component and lactoferrin, in the mucous membrane of eustachian tube and tympanic bulla of 20 developing and 5 normal adult guinea pigs by the use of a direct immunofluorescence technique. Other organs, such as nose, larynx, trachea, small intestine, spleen and lymph node were also subjected to this investigation. Changes in the middle ear mucosa were also observed after antigenic challenges directly to the tympanic cavity of 6 developing and 39 adult guinea pigs. IgA and IgM forming cells began to appear in the tubal mucosa on 7th postnatal day, wile it was scarcely possible to find IgG1 and IgG2 forming cells in developing guinea pigs. Immunoglobulin forming cells of all classes increased in the middle ear mucosa after the antigenic stimuli. Results of this study showed that local synthesis of IgA, as well as other classes, is latent in the middle ear, that the middle ear of immature animals is vulnerable to antigenic stimuli, and that the middle ear of developing animals possesses potential immune responsiveness.

Topics: Animals; Antibody-Producing Cells; Ear, Middle; Guinea Pigs; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin M; Lactoferrin; Mucous Membrane; Otitis Media; Secretory Component

Topics: Antibody-Producing Cells; Antigens, Viral; Autoradiography; Biopsy; Blood Proteins; Carbon Isotopes; Exudates and Transudates; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Humans; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin M; Immunoglobulins; In Vitro Techniques; Lactoferrin; Mucous Membrane; Muramidase; Otitis Media; Proteins