Different production of interleukin-1alpha, interleukin-1beta and interleukin-8 from cholesteatomatous and normal epithelium.

Cholesteatomatous bone destruction is caused by an increase in collagenase activity and activation of the osteoclasts. Cytokines. such as interleukins (IL), are important in intercellular communication in the mechanism of bone destruction. Middle ear cholesteatomas and external auditory canal skins (EACS) can be surgically obtained and cultured. The quantities of IL-1alpha, IL-1beta and IL-8 secretions were measured in the supernatant of each culture series. On the 2nd day of culture, the level of IL-1alpha was 0.60+/-0.13 (pg/microg of total protein) in cholesteatoma, and 0.25+/-0.02 in EACS. The levels of IL-1beta in cholesteatoma and EACS were 0.41+/-0.06 and 0.24+/-0.02, respectively. The levels of IL-8 in cholesteatoma and EACS were 146.50+/-32.37 and 50.40+/-6.24, respectively. After 2 days, the levels of IL-1alpha and IL-8 of each tissue decreased. The value from fibroblasts did not show a significant difference between cholesteatoma and EACS, and the values did not change as time passed. We can conclude that the IL-1alpha and IL-8 from the cholesteatomatous epithelium are responsible for the cholesteatomatous bone destruction and certain substances from the subepithelial granulation tissue can stimulate the cholesteatoma to produce IL-1alpha and IL-8.