Acquired middle ear cholesteatoma is a disease which promotes bone erosion resulting in potentially serious complications. The tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is present in cholesteatoma and it is related to bone erosion, as shown by different authors. To understand the aggressiveness characteristics of cholesteatoma is necessary, however, to better address the presence and distribution of their receptors. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the expression of type 2 TNF-α receptor (TNF-R2) in fragments of cholesteatoma and correlate it to the degree of inflammation present. MATERIAL AND METHODS: observational cross-sectional study, which analyzed 33 fragments of cholesteatomas through histological analysis and immunohistochemistry (using as primary antibody to TNF-R2 LabVision? brand). The evaluation was performed by means of a qualitative and semi-quantitative agreement with the observed intensity. For statistical analysis we used the Fisher exact test and Spearman′s correlation coefficient (considered statistically significant when p < 0. 05). RESULTS: The expression of TNF-R2 was present in all fragments, however a statistical analysis showed no correlation or association between inflammation and the expression of TNF-R2. CONCLUSIONS: TNF-R2 is present in cholesteatoma of the middle ear, however, its expression is not directly related to the degree of inflammation observed in patients with this disease
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