| Abstract: | The aim of the study was to determine the correlation between proliferation and apoptosis in cholesteatoma epithelium with that in normal skin. Cholesteatomas were collected from 20 patients during surgical procedures. 13 normal skin preparations collected from outside of the external ear were used as controls. Dako detective kit with Ki-67 antigen and PCNA was used to assess cell proliferation. Immunohistochemical reaction intensities in the cells were determined. Mebstain Apoptosis kit Direct with antigen APO 2.7 were used to estimate apoptosis. Positive PCNA cells in the suprabasal layer were observed in 9 preparations, 9--in parabasal layer, and in 2--in both basal and stromal layers. Skin preparations showed decreased proliferative ability in comparison to cholesteatoma epithelium. The presence of Ki-67 antigen was presented in cell nuclei of parabasal and stromal layers mainly. Apoptotic cells were detected in suprabasal, prickle and granular cell layers of cholesteatoma epithelium. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Proliferation and apoptosis are significantly higher in cholesteatoma epithelium as compared with the epidermis of the skin. 2. Proliferative activity and apoptosis were observed mainly in the suprabasal layers in the cholesteatoma epithelium. 3. Hyperproliferation and apoptosis in cholesteatoma do not depend on the thickness of the epithelium. |
