Cathepsin L and its inhibitor in human otitis media

摘要

We examined cathepsin L, MMP-1 related to the bone destruction in human cholesteatoma of the middle ear, and observed cystatin A and Cu,Zn-SOD as its proteinase inhibitors. Using the above data, epithelia and subepithelial granulations in cholesteatoma was discussed. In results, MMP-1 and cathepsin L immunohisto-chemically were positive for both epithelia and subepithelial granulations, however mean cathepsin L activity was significantly higher in the subepithelial granulations than in the epithelia. Subepithelial granulations according to high-grade cathepsin L activity resulted in widely bone destruction. Both cystain A and Cu, Zn-SOD as inhibitors cathepsin L were more strongly positive in epithelia than in subepithelial granulation tissues. These results suggest that a field related to the bone destruction in human cholesteatoma is subepithelial granulations rather than epithelia.