Inflammatory mediators and otitis media with effusion. An experimental approach using cell culture

Otitis media with effusion is characterized by the presence of an inflammatory cellular infiltrate of the submucosa and a poor ventilation of the middle ear. This results in hypersecretion of mucus and alteration of the mucociliary clearance, which produce accumulation of fluid and cellular debris in the middle ear. The aim of this work was to investigate whether inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins and oxygen metabolites modulate the absorptive function of the middle ear epithelium. The data we present demonstrated that: (i) among prostanoids, only prostaglandin E2 modulated the rate of sodium transport; (ii) oxidants had a stimulatory effect on ion transport; (iii) the role of reactive oxygen species was mediated by prostaglandin E2. This process might be involved in the impairment of the mucociliary clearance.