Abstract
The efficacy of steroid therapy for the treatment of otitis media in children remains controversial, and a putative modulation of the middle ear epithelial function has to be demonstrated. Using the MESV cell line, short-circuit current (Isc) technique was used to evaluate changes in ion transport induced by glucocorticoids. Dexamethasone (DXM) produced a dose- and time-dependent increase in Isc in MESV cells. This effect was inhibited by specific glucocorticoid antagonist (RU-38486) and was related to a sodium transport, since the DXM-induced increase in Isc could be prevented or abolished i) by apical addition of the specific Na+ channel inhibitor benzamil; or ii) by substitution of sodium with N-Methyl-glucamine in the incubation medium. RNase protection assay revealed that DXM increased the expression of the α subunit sodium channel mRNA, which changes paralleled the modulation of ion transport. These data demonstrate that steroids up-regulate the trans-epithelial sodium transport in the middle ear epithelium. As far as these experimental data can be extrapolated to the in vivo situation, a component of the beneficial effect of steroid therapy for the treatment of otitis media may result from a corticosteroid-induced improvement in fluid clearance from the middle ear
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