Middle ear epithelial mucin production in response to interleukin 1β exposure in vitro

OBJECTIVES. To investigate the role of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in the regulation of mucin secretion by middle ear epithelia. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Primary chinchilla middle ear epithelial cultures were established and exposed to IL-1beta in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Mucin secretion was characterized by exclusion chromatography and liquid scintillation. RESULTS: Epithelial cultures exposed to increasing doses of IL-1beta demonstrated greater amounts of mucin secretion (P = 0.007). Additionally, cultures exposed to IL-1beta at 50 ng/mL showed increased secretion of mucin over control noticeable at 6 hours, but significant at the 15- and 24-h-our time points (P < .0001 for each). CONCLUSIONS: IL-beta upregulates mucin secretion from cultured middle ear epithelial cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner. SIGNIFICANCE. Elucidating the effect of specific cytokines on the regulation of mucin secretion is vital to understanding the pathophysiology of otitis media and the development of novel therapeutic strategies.