Chun Shun Jin

Anaplastic Small Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx

Anaplastic small cell carcinoma of the larynx is an uncommon neuroendocrine tumor. We report a case of this neoplasm of a 53-year-old male. The patient showed persistent hyponatremia accompanied with continuous loss of sodium in the urine, which resulted from inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH). It is postulated that hyponatremia in this case was due to production of ADH by the tumor cells.

Effect of Histamine on Nasal Epithelial Permeability to Horseradish Peroxidase in Allergic Guinea Pigs

The effect of histamine and antigen on the permeability of nasal mucosa to macromolecules in allergic guinea pigs was investigated with a histochemical technique using horseradish peroxidase (HRP). We found that the ratio of intercellular spaces penetrated by HRP to the total number of intercellular spaces of the nasal epithelium in nonallergic groups was increased by histamine challenge dose-dependently. The HRP reaction products in the intercellular spaces in allergic groups were significantly increased by challenge with histamine at 5.4 × 10−4 mol/L and 5.4 × 10−2 mol/L, in contrast to nonallergic groups. We conclude that histamine increases nasal mucosal permeability, and this effect is most likely mediated by a functional change in the epithelial tight junctions.

Quantitative Histochemical Study of Secretory Cells after Short Term Tubal Obstruction in the Cat

Quantitative histochemistry of goblet cells producing different types of glycoproteins was examined in cat middle ears with and without Euatachian tube obstruction (ETO). The goblet cell population significantly increased at 1 week after ETO and showed a tendency to decrease down to the normal level at 4 weeks after ETO. In the normal ears, approximately 85% of glycoprotein in the secretory cells were sulphated and 15% were neutral. ETO significantly increased goblet cell population containing sulphated glycoprotein at the expense of neutral glycoprotein. The results indicate that goblet cells can easily and within a short period be modified both in number and in intracellular glycoproteins by a tubal obstruction.

Effects of Endotoxin and Neutrophil Lysate on Experimental Otitis Media with Effusion in Cats

Middle ear effusion (MEE) from otitis media with effusion (OME) contains large amounts of chemical mediators and substances from bacteria, which may act on the mucosa itself and cause further changes in the inflamed mucosa and MEE. To clarify the effects of such substances in MEE, we instilled endotoxin (LPS) or allogeneic neutrophil lysate (NL) into the middle ear cavity of OME induced by Eustachian tube obstruction (ETO). ETO + LPS and ETO + NL groups showed retention of a large amount of MEE as a characteristic difference between ETO alone group and these groups. The instillation of LPS into the middle ear cavity of the ETO model significantly increased the number of total cells and the ratio of the concentrations of albumin to total protein in MEEs. The instillation of NL significantly increased the number of goblet cells in the middle ear. These facts indicate that the pathology of OME may change in response to various factors added to MEE. Hence, we propose that a vicious circle of self-mediated inflammation is a possible causative factor for chronic OME.

The relationship between proteases activity and glycoprotein levels in middle ear effusions from experimental otitis media in cats.

The relationship between lysosomal proteases activity (elastase and cathepsin B) and levels of mucous glycoproteins in middle ear effusions (MEEs) was studied using a cat model of otitis media with effusion (OME) induced by Eustachian tube obstruction (ETO). The ratio of cathepsin B activity to total protein concentration (TPC) in MEE was 25.6 +/- 19.4 RFU/g x dl-1 at 1 week after ETO, and increased with the duration of OME. The ratio of elastase activity to TPC had a significant correlation to total leukocyte count. The ratio of fucose levels to TPC, which is one of the parameters reflecting levels of mucous glycoprotein, at 1 week after ETO was significantly higher than that at both 2 and 4 weeks after ETO. The percentage of glycoprotein levels absorbed to wheat germ lectin was highest at 1 week after ETO, and decreased with the duration of OME. In conclusion, mucous glycoproteins in cat occupy a larger portion of glycoproteins in MEE at the early stage of OME, and elastase and other lysosomal proteases may play a role in both stimulation of mucin release from goblet cells and mucin degradation. The balance of these processes seems to be a key factor determining mucin levels in MEEs.

Adherence of Haemophilus influenzae to nasal, nasopharyngeal and buccal epithelial cells from patients with otitis media

SummarySince mucosal colonization may be an important determinant in the pathogenesis of otitis media with effusion (OME), we studied the adherence of Haemophilus influenzae (HI) to human nasal, nasopharyngeal, and buccal mucosal cells obtained from patients with OME. Non-typeable HI adhered in significantly greater numbers than type b HI. HI bacteria adhered to both nasal and nasopharyngeal mucosal cells in significantly greater numbers than to buccal ones. Non-typeable HI adhered to the epithelial cells from children with chronic sinusitis in more significant numbers than did those from children without chronic sinusitis. These results indicate that non-typeable HI adhere more readily to epithelial cells and that the nasal and nasopharyngeal mucosa may be an important route for HI infection in OME.

ELISA to determine immunoreactive Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase in chronic suppurative otitis media.

A sensitive sandwich ELISA has been developed to measure the levels of Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase (PE) in ear discharges from chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) patients. Preincubation of the sample with EDTA-2Na before ELISA was employed to inhibit PE activity which hydrolyzes the anti-PE IgG antibody into a smaller molecular form. The PE levels of 10 middle ear effusions (MEE) from chronic otitis media with effusion were also measured. In CSOM, 9 of 10 samples had significant PE levels, ranging from 6.8 to 62.1 micrograms/ml, which were significantly higher than those in MEE (p less than 0.01), the majority of which was below the detection limit. Two samples of CSOM with the P. aeruginosa infection showed high PE levels. This sandwich ELISA for the measurement of PE is a very sensitive method requiring only a small sample amount.

Rheological and Biochemical Properties of Middle Ear Effusions from Experimental Otitis Media in Cats

Both rheological and biochemical analyses were performed on middle ear effusions (MEEs) from cats with experimental otitis media with effusions (OME) induced by obstruction of the Eustachian tube. This study was undertaken in order to clarify the factors determining rheological properties (elasticity and viscosity) of MEEs. The viscoelasticity of the effusions had a positive significant correlation to fucose/total protein concentration (TPC), and a negative correlation to cathepsin B level/TPC. No correlation was observed between albumin level/TPC and viscoelasticity. These results indicate that in cats the rheological properties of MEEs depend on the level of secretory glycoproteins in MEEs and on the severity of inflammation in the early stage after tubal obstruction.

Neutrophil Elastase and Its Complex with α1-antitrypsin in Soluble and Insoluble Fractions of Nasal Secretions of Chronic Sinusitis

Immunoreactive neutrophil elastase (NE) and its complex with alpha 1-antitrypsin (AT) was measured by double antibody enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in nasal secretions of chronic sinusitis (CS). Nasal secretions were separated into two fractions: PBS-soluble and insoluble fractions. Elastolytic activity was also examined. Mean value of total NE level was 31.0 micrograms/ml in the soluble fraction, which was significantly lower than that in the insoluble fraction (71.9 micrograms/ml, p less than 0.01). On the other hand, the percentage of complexed NE in total NE in the soluble fraction (33.7%) was significantly higher than that in the insoluble fraction (12.1%, p less than 0.01). Elastolytic activity in the soluble fraction (23.4 RFU) was significantly lower than that in the insoluble fraction (170.5 RFU, p less than 0.01). NE with elastolytic activity exists in nasal secretions of CS, and active-free NE in the insoluble fraction could be a major source of enhancement and continuation of mucosal inflammation.

A quantitative study of the ciliary area of experimental otitis media with effusion in cats.

A quantitative electron microscopic study was performed to determine the extent of the ciliary surface area of the middle ear epithelium in cats. In normal cats, 97.8% of the middle ear mucosa in the hypotympanum and 45.9% in the upper part of the bulla were covered by cilia. Eustachian tube obstruction (ETO) significantly reduced the ciliary area to 73.1% in the hypotympanum and to 16.2% in the upper part of bulla at 1 week after ETO. Instillation of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or cat polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) lysate into the middle ear cavity followed by ETO did not reduce the ciliary area, compared with ETO induced alone. Our results indicate that ETO reduces the ciliary area of the middle ear mucosa and that LPS or neutrophils do not enhance reduction of the ciliary area compared to ETO induced alone in this experimental condition.