Expression pattern of protein spots identified with 2-dimensional electrophoresis of congenital cholesteatoma.

<p>Expression patterns in the 4 patients examined were similar (A-D).</p

Study subjects and specimen descriptions.

<p>AC, acquired cholesteatoma; CC, congenital cholesteatoma; RAS, retroauricular skin.</p><p>Study subjects and specimen descriptions.</p

Protein expression patterns in congenital cholesteatoma (left), acquired cholesteatomas (middle), and the retroauricular canal skin (right).

<p>Protein expression patterns in congenital cholesteatoma (left), acquired cholesteatomas (middle), and the retroauricular canal skin (right).</p

Ten major spots only expressed in congenital cholesteatoma, as determined by image analysis.

<p>Ten major spots only expressed in congenital cholesteatoma, as determined by image analysis.</p

Expression of forkhead transcriptional factor homolog (FKH 5–3, A) and titin (B) in congenital cholesteatoma, as detected with immunohistochemistry.

<p>Both proteins were well-expressed in cholesteatoma matrix. Negative controls (C, D) are also shown for comparison.</p

10 major protein exclusively expressed in congenital cholesteatoma.

<p>M_r, nominal mass; FKH, forkhead transcriptional factor; PI, calculated PI value; %coverage, sequence coverage; matched peptide number, number of mass values matched.</p><p>10 major protein exclusively expressed in congenital cholesteatoma.</p

Venn diagram showing the number of identified protein spots in each tissue.

<p>One hundred twenty seven spots were only expressed in congenital cholesteatoma.</p

A representative case of congenital cholesteatomas examined in this study (Patient 2 in Table 1).

<p>A. Otoscopic tympanic membrane findings. B. Axial computed tomography image of the temporal bone. C. Surgical findings. D. Congenital cholesteatoma specimen obtained in surgery (scale bar: 5mm).</p

Autoimmunity as a Candidate for the Etiopathogenesis of Meniere's Disease: Detection of Autoimmune Reactions and Diagnostic Biomarker Candidate

<div><p>Meniere's disease is an inner ear disorder that can manifest as fluctuating vertigo, sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness. However, the pathologic mechanism of Meniere's disease is still unclear. In this study, we evaluated autoimmunity as a potential cause of Meniere's disease. In addition we tried to find useful biomarker candidates for diagnosis. We investigated the protein composition of human inner ear fluid using liquid column mass spectrometry, the autoimmune reaction between circulating autoantibodies in patient serum and multiple antigens using the Protoarray system, the immune reaction between patient serum and mouse inner ear tissues using western blot analysis. Nine proteins, including immunoglobulin and its variants and interferon regulatory factor 7, were found only in the inner ear fluid of patients with Meniere's disease. Enhanced immune reactions with 18 candidate antigens were detected in patients with Meniere's disease in Protoarray analysis; levels of 8 of these antigens were more than 10-fold higher in patients than in controls. Antigen-antibody reactions between mouse inner ear proteins with molecular weights of 23–48 kDa and 63–75 kDa and patient sera were detected in 8 patients. These findings suggest that autoimmunity could be one of the pathologic mechanisms behind Meniere's disease. Multiple autoantibodies and antigens may be involved in the autoimmune reaction. Specific antigens that caused immune reactions with patient's serum in Protoarray analysis can be candidates for the diagnostic biomarkers of Meniere's disease.</p></div

1-DE of the proteins in the endolymphatic sac luminal fluid of each control and patient.

<p>The distribution of bands in each individual varied. C, control; P, patient.</p