Isolation and partial characterization of a glycopeptide from cerumen.

Masuda, Hiroshi; Shichijo, Shigeki; Goya, Tomoyoshi; Takeuchi, Mutsuya

doi:10.2739/kurumemedj.25.203

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 10 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A number of scientists have dealt with its chemical composition. Several papers have been focused on investigation of proteins [3][4][5][6], amino acids [3,[7][8][9], and other nitrogen-containing compounds [3,10], sugars [9,11], and glycopeptides [12][13][14]. Several elements (Na, K, Ca, Mg, P and Cu) were identified and the presence of volatile products was mentioned as well [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Non‐Polar Lipid Components of Human Cerumen

Stránský

Valterová

Kofroňová

et al. 2011

Lipids

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Human cerumen was separated by column chromatography into the following groups of compounds: hydrocarbons, squalene, wax esters and cholesterol esters, triacylglycerols, free fatty acids, free fatty alcohols, monoacylglycerols, free cholesterol, free sterols, and free hydroxy acids. The groups of compounds obtained were examined in detail by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In total, about one thousand compounds have been identified.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Non‐Polar Lipid Components of Human Cerumen

Stránský

Valterová

Kofroňová

et al. 2011

Lipids

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The dry allele is predominant in Mongoloid populations of Asia and in American Indians, whereas the wet allele is found predominantly in Caucasian and Negro populations (1, 10). Earwax has been found to contain amino acids, fatty acids, neurostearic acid, cerotic acid, cholesterol, triglyceride, hexone bases, lysozyme, immunoglobulin, glycopeptide, copper, and other components, although differences in composition between the cerumen types have been described (6,7,9,15).The function of cerumen in protecting the ear against invasion of microorganisms has long been a subject of controversy. It has been suggested that cerumen is unable to prevent infection and that the rich nutrients of earwax support luxuriant growth of bacteria and fungi (3,8,13,14).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Bactericidal activity of cerumen

Chai¹,

Chai²

1980

Antimicrob Agents Chemother

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Freshly collected cerumen (dry form) suspended at a concentration of 3% in glycerol-sodium bicarbonate buffer showed bactericidal activity against some strains of bacteria tested. This suspension reduced the viability of Haemophilus influenzae, Escherichia coli K-12, and Serratia marcescens by more than 99%, whereas the viability of two Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, E. coli K-1, Streptococcus, and two Staphylococcus aureus isolates of human origin was reduced by 30 to 80%. The results support the hypothesis that cerumen functions to kill certain foreign organisms which enter the ear canal.Cerumen, commonly known as earwax, is secreted by both ceruminous and sebaceous glands. Two distinct forms of human cerumen, dry and wet, are associated with race and controlled by two autosomal alleles (10). The dry allele is predominant in Mongoloid populations of Asia and in American Indians, whereas the wet allele is found predominantly in Caucasian and Negro populations (1, 10). Earwax has been found to contain amino acids, fatty acids, neurostearic acid, cerotic acid, cholesterol, triglyceride, hexone bases, lysozyme, immunoglobulin, glycopeptide, copper, and other components, although differences in composition between the cerumen types have been described (6,7,9,15).The function of cerumen in protecting the ear against invasion of microorganisms has long been a subject of controversy. It has been suggested that cerumen is unable to prevent infection and that the rich nutrients of earwax support luxuriant growth of bacteria and fungi (3,8,13,14). On the other hand, it has been suggested that cerumen might have antimicrobial activity, although little evidence has been presented to support this contention (5, 9). Burtenshaw (2) extracted cerumen with either saline or an alcohol-ether solvent and showed that the saline extract promoted the growth of streptococci somewhat, whereas the alcohol-ether extract was inhibitory. However, the concentration of cerumen in the alcohol-ether extract used by this author was not specified. In this communication we will describe a potent antibacterial activity of cerumen suspended in buffer against certain strains of common bacteria which are often encountered in humans.Pooled cerumen was collected with a sterile earwax hook from 12 healthy individuals aged from 5 to 42, including males and females, and kept in a sterile bottle at 4°C. All cerumen belonged to the typical dry form, which appeared flaky or granular and yellowish white. The pooled cerumen was mixed well, weighed, and suspended in buffer (5% NaHCO3, pH 8.2, containing 30% glycerol) at a concentration of 3.5% (wt/vol). The cerumen-buffer mixture was homogenized by repeated passage through a series of needles ranging from 19 to 23 gauge. This procedure broke the cerumen into fine particles distributed evenly in buffer and resulted in a milky suspension. Cerumen suspensions at concentrations over 3.5% were unsatisfactory because all the cerumen remained in big particles even after prolonged homogenization. The cerumen was ster...

show abstract

“…Although glucose levels have already been measured using earwax samples elsewhere [ 33 , 34 ] including in diabetic patients [ 35 ], those studies did not investigate if the level found in this monosaccharide represented its long term systemic concentration. The aim of this study was to validate the use of earwax for measuring long-term glucose concentration by using a novel, self-cleaning outer-ear device which does not require specific technical expertise.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Novel Earwax Method to Measure Acute and Chronic Glucose Levels

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Diabetes is the fourth cause of death globally. To date, there is not a practical, as well as an accurate sample for reflecting chronic glucose levels. We measured earwax glucose in 37 controls. Participants provided standard serum, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and earwax samples at two time-points, one month apart. The specimens measured baseline fasting glucose, a follow-up postprandial glucose level and a between sample chronic glucose, calculated using the average level on the two occasions. The baseline earwax sample was obtained using a clinical method and the follow-up using a novel self-sampling earwax device. The earwax analytic time was significantly faster using the novel device, in comparison to the clinical use of the syringe. Earwax accurately reflected glucose at both assessments with stronger correlations than HbA1c. Follow-up postprandial concentrations were more significant than their respective fasting baseline concentrations, reflecting differences in fasting and postprandial glycemia and more efficient standardization at follow up. Earwax demonstrated to be more predictable than HbA1c in reflecting systemic fasting, postprandial and long-term glucose levels, and to be less influenced by confounders. Earwax glucose measurements were approximately 60% more predictable than HbA1c in reflecting glycemia over a month. The self-sampling device provided a sample that might accurately reflect chronic glycemia.

show abstract

Isolation and partial characterization of a glycopeptide from cerumen.

Cited by 4 publications

References 10 publications

Non‐Polar Lipid Components of Human Cerumen

Non‐Polar Lipid Components of Human Cerumen

Bactericidal activity of cerumen

A Novel Earwax Method to Measure Acute and Chronic Glucose Levels

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About