Cyclic Tensile Strain on Vocal Fold Fibroblasts Inhibits Cigarette Smoke-Induced Inflammation: Implications for Reinke Edema

SummaryObjectivesTo investigate whether patients with Reinke edema are more extrovertive than patients with carcinoma and, whether cyclic tensile strain (CTS) attenuates cigarette smoke condensate (CSC)-induced inflammation in human vocal fold fibroblasts (HVFF).Study DesignIn vitro and ex vivo study.MethodsClinical investigation and Eysenck personality questionnaire were performed to evaluate the personality and smoking status in individuals among groups. 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y1)-3,5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) assay was applied to test the viabilities of cultured HVFF exposed to CSC and/or CTS. The messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expressions of cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in tissues from Reinke edema, paracancerous site, normal vocal fold, and in HVFF with different treatments were measured by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction or western blot, respectively.ResultsPatients with either Reinke edema or carcinoma were moderate/heavy smokers; the extraversion score, however, was higher in Reinke edema patients than that in carcinoma patients. CD44 mRNA and protein expressions were significantly higher, whereas, COX-2 and MMP-9 expressions were significantly lower in Reinke edema tissues than those in paracancerous tissues. Treatment of HVFF with CSC led to the decrease in cell viability, the reduction in CD44 expression, but, the increase in COX-2 and MMP-9 expressions and, moreover, administration of CTS inhibited such effects of CSC on HVFF.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that Reinke edema patients have more extrovert personality characteristics in comparison to carcinoma patients and, importantly, CTS attenuates CSC-induced inflammation in HVFF. Phonatory vibration may be a mechanism for lower expression of proinflammatory mediators in Reinke edema tissues in spite of cigarette smoke exposure.