Glue ear, or (adhesive) otitis media, is probably caused by a faulty gene, called called Evi1, say scientists from the Medical Research Council Mammalian Genetics Unit, UK. Glue ear is very common among infants – about 50% of UK infants under the age of one suffer from glue ear.
You can read about this latest study in the Public Library of Science Genetics.
Although the scientific community has known that glue ear is probably due to a faulty gene, we have not been able to detect the exact pathways involved. Professor Steven Brown, and team, studied a mouse, nicknamed Junbo, which had severe, recurrent glue ear.
Evi1 produces a translator protein. This protein translates DNA code so that they can be understood as instructions for the body. The scientists found that Evi1 is expressed in a variety of cell types in the middle ear lining when inflammatory changes are underway.
Professor Brown believes that the mouse model could be used to help researchers figure out new ways to treat children with this disease.
“Mutation at the Evi1 Locus in Junbo Mice Causes Susceptibility to Otitis Media”
Nicholas Parkinson, Rachel E. Hardisty-Hughes, Hilda Tateossian, Hsun-Tien Tsai, Debra Brooker, Sue Morse, Zuzanna Lalane, Francesca MacKenzie, Martin Fray, Pete Glenister, Anne-Marie Woodward, Sian Polley, Ivana Barbaric, Neil Dear, Tertius A. Hough, A. Jackie Hunter, Michael T. Cheeseman, Steve D. M. Brown
PLoS Genetics Volume 2 | Issue 10 | OCTOBER 2006
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Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today