Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-wg55d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-11T14:16:18.476Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Spatial distribution of antimicrobial peptides and mast cells in the skin of the external auditory canal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2011

Y J Yoon  and
E J Lee
Y J Yoon*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine and Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, South Korea
E J Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine and Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, South Korea
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Yong Joo Yoon, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Kumam-dong, Dukjin-gu, Jeonju, South Korea Fax: +82 63 250 1986 E-mail: yjyoon@chonbuk.ac.kr
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

The direct activity of antimicrobial peptides against microbes is thought to be an essential first line of defence in the skin; however, little is known about antimicrobial peptide secretion in the skin of the external auditory canal. Evidence suggests that mast cells contribute to the secretion of antimicrobial peptides. This study aimed to examine the distribution of mast cells and antimicrobial peptides, including human β-defensin-1 and -2 and LL-37, in the external auditory canal skin.

Methods:

External auditory canal skin samples from 12 patients undergoing middle-ear surgery with canaloplasty were immunohistochemically stained to detect expression of mast cell markers (tryptase and chymase) and antimicrobial peptides (human β-defensin-1 and -2 and LL-37).

Results:

Mast cells and human β-defensin-1 were present in the ceruminous glands but not in the sebaceous glands. The increased presence of mast cells, human β-defensin-1 and LL-37 in ceruminous glands suggests that mast cells may participate in the secretion of antimicrobial peptides from ceruminous glands.

Conclusion:

These findings suggest that mast cells contribute to the secretion of antimicrobial peptides in the ceruminous glands of the external auditory canal skin.

Keywords

Mast CellsCerumenHuman β defensinLL-37
Type
Online Only Main Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 125 , Issue 11 , November 2011 , e6
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Sirigu, P, Perra, MT, Ferreli, C, Maxia, C, Turno, F. Local immune response in the skin of the external auditory meatus. Microsc Res Tech 1997;38:329–34Google Scholar
2Boman, H. Peptide antibiotics and their role in innate immunity. Ann Rev Immunol 1995;13:61–92CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Bos, JD, Pasch, FMC, Asghar, SS. Defensins and complement systems from the perspective of skin immunity and autoimmunity. Clin Dermatol 2001;19:563–72CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4Nizet, V, Ohtake, T, Lauth, X, Trowbridge, J, Rudisill, J, Dorschner, RA et al. Innate antimicrobial peptide protects the skin from invasive bacterial infection. Nature 2001;414:454–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Braff, MH, Bardan, A, Nizef, V, Gallo, RL. Cutaneous defense mechanisms by antimicrobial peptides. J Inves Derm 2005;125:9–13CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6McCray, PB, Bentley, L. Human airway epithelia express a β-defensin. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 1997;16:343–9Google Scholar
7Singh, PK, Jia, HP, Wiles, K, Hesselberth, J, Liu, L, Conway, BD et al. Production of β-defensins by human airway epithelia. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1998;95:149–61Google Scholar
8Harder, J, Bartels, J, Christophers, E, Schroder, JM. A peptide antibiotics from human skin. Nature 1997;387:861Google Scholar
9Murakami, M, Ohtake, T, Dorschner, RA, Schitt, B, Garbe, C, Gallo, RL. Cathelicidin anti-microbial peptide expression in sweat, an innate defense system for the skin. J Invest Dermatol 2002;119:1090–5Google Scholar
10Fulton, C, Anderson, GM, Zasloff, M, Bull, R, Quinn, AG. Expression of natural peptide antibiotics in human skin. Lancet 1997;350:1750–1Google Scholar
11Ali, RS, Falconer, A, Ikram, M, Bissett, CE, Cerio, R, Quinn, AG. Expression of the peptide antibiotics human beta defensin-1 and human beta defensin-2 in normal human skin. J Invest Dermatol 2001;117:106–11Google Scholar
12Befus, AD, Mowat, C, Gilchrist, M, Hu, J, Solomon, S, Bateman, A. Neutrophil defensins induce histamine secretion from mast cells: mechanisms of action. J Immunol 1999;163:947–53CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13Chai, TJ, Chai, TC. Bactericidal activity of cerumen. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1980;18:638–41Google Scholar
14Yoon, YJ. Presence of hBD-1 and hBD-2 in human cerumen and external auditory canal skin. Acta Otolaryngol 2008;128:871–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15Stone, M, Fulghum, RS. Bactericidal activity of wet cerumen. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1987;83:183–6Google Scholar
16Jankowski, A, Kapusta, E, Nowacka, B. Concerning the bacteriostatic or bactericidal function of the secretion of ceruminous glands. Otolaryngol Pol 1992;46:557–60Google ScholarPubMed
17Yoon, YJ. The distributional characteristics of mast cells in the the skin of the human external auditory canal. Korean J Otolaryngol 2006;49:1057–60Google Scholar
18Main, T, Lim, D. The human external auditory canal secretion system. Laryngoscope 1976;86:1164–76CrossRefGoogle Scholar