Medizinische Universität Graz - Research portal

Navigation/Search

Abstract: Reinke’s edema (RE) is a uni- or bilateral swelling of the vocal folds, occurring in patients with nicotine and voice abuse. Voice of patients is characterized by decreased pitch and detrimental voice quality, making it often difficult for voice professionals who rely on their voices (teacher, call center agents etc.)
So far treatment is only symptomatic, still the gold standard of therapy, microsurgery of the vocal folds, is far from being satisfactory.
In the proposed project we seek to explore the cellular mechanisms of RE by protein analysis (proteomics), revealing the true pathophysiology of RE for the first time. During routine vocal fold surgery for RE we will take small mucosa specimens. From these we will extract vocal fold fibroblasts for subsequent analysis. Proteomic analysis will deliver a complete list of proteins produces specifically by these cells. These will be compared with vocal fold cells grown out of healthy laryngeal mucosa. In subsequent functional experiments we will explore certain proteins of interest (aka. candidate proteins) that are produced in a high number by RE fibroblasts for their biological relevance. By enhancing or blocking these candidate proteins we aim to draw conclusions on their role in the development of RE, which should pave to way to new (non-surgical) treatment options.

Staff: Gugatschka, Markus, Project Leader; Groselj-Strele, Andrea, Co-worker; Birner-Grünberger, Ruth, Co-worker; Hortobagyi, David, Co-worker; Steffan, Barbara, Co-worker; Tschernitz, Magdalena Maria, Co-worker; Steurer, Nina, Co-worker; Leitner, Anita, Co-worker; Gerstenberger, Claus, Co-worker; Ghaffari Tabrizi-Wizsy, Nassim, Co-worker; Schittmayer-Schantl, Matthias, Co-worker; Grill, Magdalena, Co-worker; Kirsch, Andrijana, Co-worker; Grossmann, Tanja, Co-worker; Karbiener, Michael, Co-worker; Brcic, Luka, Co-worker; Müller, Helmut, Co-worker

MUG Research Units: Core Facility Computational Bioanalytics; Department of Otorhinolaryngology; Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology; Division of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery; Division of Immunology; Division of Pharmacology; Division of Phoniatrics

Funded by: FWF, Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Wien, Austria

Project results published: > Exploring the Pathophysiology of Reinke's Edema: T... Laryngoscope. 2021; 131(2):E547-E554; > Vocal Fold Fibroblasts in Reinke's Edema Show Alte... Biomedicines. 2021; 9(7):; > Reinke's edema - new approaches and findings... 5th congress of european ORL-HNS; JUN 29-JUL 3, 2019; Brussels, BELGIUM. 2019.; > Proteomic Analysis of Vocal Fold Fibroblasts Expos... Mol Cell Proteomics. 2019; 18(8):1511-1525; > Das Reinke Ödem aus proteomischer Sicht... Österreichischer HNO Kongress; SEP 11-15, 2019; Salzburg, AUSTRIA. 2019.; > Molecular laryngology... ; JUN 13-16, 2018; Helsinki, FINNLAND. 2018.; > Proteomic Characterization of Near Primary Vocal F... Biennial Phonosurgery Meeting; JUL 12-14, 2018; Madison, USA. 2018.