Objectives: The purpose of the study is to know if mucin gene expression can be detected in the middle ear effusion and if so, which mucin genes are expressed in the effusions.
Methods: Mucin gene expression in the middle ear effusions obtained from five patients with otitis media with effusion were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) were extracted from the effusion and the expression of 12 mucin genes was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.
Results: Mucin gene expression examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction indicated the expression of MUC1, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC6, MUC7, MUC8, MUC9, MUC11 and MUC12 mRNA in the effusion. This mucin gene expression was similar to that in BEAS-2B cell, a bronchial epithelial cell line.
Conclusion: Middle ear effusion can give us valuable information on mucin gene expression in the middle ear. There is similarity between mucin gene expression in the middle ear effusion and that in the bronchial epithelia.