TMCO1-Deficient Mice Exhibit a High Incidence of Otitis Media Associated with Impaired Bone Homeostasis in the Middle Ear.

Craniofacial dysmorphism, skeletal anomalies, and impaired intellectual development syndrome (CFSMR1; Online Inheritance in Man number 213980) is characterized by craniofacial dysmorphism, skeletal anomalies, and mental retardation. However, reports of hearing issues have been limited. To investigate hearing-related aspects of CFSMR1, Tmco1 knockout mice (Tmco1) exhibiting similar symptoms to human patients were used in this study.

Caffeine Ameliorates Age-Related Hearing Loss by Downregulating the Inflammatory Pathway in Mice.

Objective: Age-related hearing loss (ARHL), also known as presbycusis, is a debilitating sensory impairment that affects the elderly population. There is currently no ideal treatment for ARHL. Long-term caffeine intake was reported to have anti-aging effects in many diseases.

Endolymphatic Hydrop Phenotype in Familial Norrie Disease Caused by Large Fragment Deletion of .

Norrie disease (ND; OMIM 310600), a rare X-linked recessive genetic disorder, is characterized by congenital blindness and occasionally, sensorineural hearing loss, and developmental delay. The congenital blindness of ND patients is almost untreatable; thus, hearing is particularly important for them. However, the mechanism of hearing loss of ND patients is unclear, and no good treatment is available except wearing hearing-aid.

Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Otitis Media.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress occurs in many inflammatory responses. Here, we investigated the role of ER stress and its associated apoptosis in otitis media (OM) to elucidate the mechanisms of OM and the signaling crosstalk between ER stress and other cell damage pathways, including inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis. We examined the expression of inflammatory cytokine- and ER stress-related genes by qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the middle ear of C57BL/6J mice after challenge with peptidoglycan polysaccharide (PGPS), an agent inducing OM.

Otoprotective effects of mouse nerve growth factor in DBA/2J mice with early-onset progressive hearing loss.

As it displays progressive hair-cell loss and degeneration of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) characterized by early-onset progressive hearing loss (ePHL), DBA/2J is an inbred mouse strain widely used in hearing research. Mouse nerve growth factor (mNGF), as a common exogenous nerve growth factor (NGF), has been studied extensively for its ability to promote neuronal survival and growth. To determine whether mNGF can ameliorate progressive hearing loss (PHL) in DBA/2J mice, saline or mNGF was given to DBA/2J mice of either sex by daily intramuscular injection from the 1st to the 9th week after birth.

Otitis media induced by peptidoglycan-polysaccharide (PGPS) in TLR2-deficient (Tlr2(-/-)) mice for developing drug therapy.

Background: Toll like receptor 2 (TLR2) signaling can regulate the pathogenesis of otitis media (OM). However, the precise role of TLR2 signaling in OM has not been clarified due to the lack of an optimal animal model. Peptidoglycan-polysaccharide (PGPS) of the bacterial cell wall can induce inflammation by activating the TLR2 signaling.

[Expression of p-STAT3 in laryngeal squamous carcinoma and its correlation with PTEN].

Objective: To study the expression of p-STAT3 and PTEN in human laryngeal squamous carcinoma, to explore their relations and clinical significance.

Method: Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues from 67 cases of laryngeal squamous carcinoma, 25 cases of normal mucosa over 2.0 cm away from tumor margin in 25 patients with total or subtotal laryngectomy were evaluated for the expression of p-STAT3, PTEN by SP immunohistochemistry, the levels of these proteins in tissues and their correlation with clinicopathological parameters of laryngeal squamous carcinoma were analyzed.

[Relationship and expression of hepatocyte growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor in serum preoperative and postoperative patients with laryngeal squamous cell cancer].

Objective: To investigate the role and clinical value of the serum level of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in laryngeal squamous cell cancer and the relationship between HGF, VEGF and clinicopathological factors.

Method: We measured serum HGF and VEGF level in 54 laryngeal squamous cell cancer patients using ELISA to demonstrate the variation of HGF, VEGF level before operation and at day 1, 3, 7, 14 post-surgery. The concentration of the serum HGF, VEGF content in 35 normal healthy people and in 30 vocal cords polyps patients were measured by the quantitative sandwich enzyme linked immunoassay technique.

[Expression of Skp2 and PTEN and its correlation in glottic carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of Skp2 and PTEN in glottic carcinoma and the relationship between the two genes.

Method: Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues, which came from 42 cases of glottic carcinoma and 16 cases of atypical hyperplasia of vocal fold and 27 cases of vocal cord polyp, were detected for the expression of Skp2, PTEN by SP immunohistochemistry, then we analyzed the result statistically.

Result: The expression rates of Skp2 protein in vocal cord polyp, atypical hyperplasia of vocal cord and glottic carcinoma were 11.

[Expression of two kinds of tumor correlation protein in laryngeal carcinoma and precancerous lesions].

Objective: To study the expression of S phase kinase associated protein 2 (Skp2), phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) in human laryngeal carcinoma and precancerous lesions, to explore their relations and clinical significance.

Methods: Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues from 79 cases of laryngeal carcinoma, 16 cases of atypical hyperplasia of vocal fold,14 cases of adult laryngeal papillomas and 27 cases of vocal cord polyps were evaluated for the expression of Skp2, PTEN by SP immunohistochemistry, the levels of these proteins in tissues with the different types of lesion and their correlation with clinicopathological parameters of laryngeal carcinoma were analyzed.

Results: The expression rates of Skp2 in vocal cord polyps, adult laryngeal papillomas, atypical hyperplasia of vocal cord and laryngeal carcinoma were 11.