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The middle ear immune defense changes with age

  • Otology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Otitis media is a common disease in childhood. In adults, the disease is relatively rare, but more frequently associated with complications. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are age-related differences in pathogen exposure, anatomy of the Eustachian tube and immune system. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between age and the mucosal immune system in the middle ear. It is hypothesized that genes involved in the middle ear immune system will change with age. A comprehensive assessment of these genetic differences using the techniques of complementary DNA has not been performed. Complementary DNA microarray technology was used to identify immune-related genes differentially expressed between the normal middle ear mucosa of young (10 days old) and adult rats (80 days old). Data were analyzed using tools of bioinformatics. A total of 260 age-related genes were identified, of which 51 genes were involved in the middle ear mucosal immune system. Genes related to the innate immune system, including alpha-defensin, calcium-binding proteins S100A9 and S100A8, were upregulated in young rats, whereas genes related to the adaptive immune system, including CD3 molecules, zeta-chain T-cell receptor-associated protein kinase and linker of activated T-cells, were upregulated in the adult. This study concludes that the normal middle ear immune system changes with age. Genes related to the innate immune system are upregulated in young rats, whereas genes related to the adaptive immune system are upregulated in adults.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Danish Society for ORL HNS. The authors thank Klaus Qvortrup, Copenhagen Ear Research Centre, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Michelle Christine Nielsen, Morten Friis & Per Cayé-Thomasen

  2. Department of Biology and Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, Faculty of Science, The Bioinformatics Centre, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Tomas Martin-Bertelsen & Ole Winther

  3. DTU Compute, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Ole Winther

  4. Center for Genomic Medicine, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Lennart Friis-Hansen

  5. Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2900, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Per Cayé-Thomasen

Authors
  1. Michelle Christine Nielsen
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  2. Morten Friis
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  3. Tomas Martin-Bertelsen
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  4. Ole Winther
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  5. Lennart Friis-Hansen
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  6. Per Cayé-Thomasen
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Correspondence to Michelle Christine Nielsen.

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Nielsen, M.C., Friis, M., Martin-Bertelsen, T. et al. The middle ear immune defense changes with age. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 273, 81–86 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-015-3493-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-015-3493-0

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