GAMMA-DELTA T-CELL RECEPTOR REPERTOIRE IN MIDDLE-EAR EFFUSIONS IN CHILDREN

In order to elucidate the immune response in otitis media with effusio n, polymerase chain reaction was employed to examine gamma delta T cel l receptor repertoire in the middle ear effusions of patients with oti lis media with effusion. RNAs were extracted from 13 middle ear effusi ons of 10 children with otitis media with effusion. V gamma 2 was the most frequently used V gamma gene. As for V delta gene usage, V delta 2 amplification gave the strongest signal in 10 out of 13 samples. The results suggest that gamma delta T cells bearing V gamma 2/V delta 2 T cell receptors accumulate in the middle ear effusions in children, a nd that these T cells may respond to certain bacteria or bacterial pro ducts in the middle ear.