Math1, retinoic acid, and TNF-α synergistically promote the differentiation of mucous cells in mouse middle ear epithelial cells in vitro.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A key issue in otitis media (OM) is mucous cell metaplasia in the middle ear mucosa, a condition for hyperproduction of mucus in the middle ear mucosa and development of chronic OM. However, little is known about the driving force for the differentiation of mucous cells in OM.

Methods

Mouse middle ear epithelial cells (mMEECs) were used in this study to test whether Math1, a critical transcription factor for the development of mucous cells in the intestine, synergizes with inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)) and other epithelial differentiation factors (retinoid acid (RA)) to induce the differentiation of mMEECs into mucus-like cells in vitro. Simultaneously, Math1 was transduced into the middle ear mucosa in order to observe whether it induce

SUBMITTER: Nakamura Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3766487 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature