title: Effects of glucocorticoids on infiltrating cells and epithelial cells of nasal polyps.
abstract: Glucocorticoids are known to be effective in the treatment of nasal polyps (NPs). To examine the mechanisms of their effect, we evaluated 1) the ability of glucocorticoids to induce the apoptosis of eosinophils and T lymphocytes in NPs, and 2) the ability of dexamethasone to down-regulate epithelial cell functions that relate to eosinophilic inflammation. In vitro and in vivo, glucocorticoids increased the apoptosis of both eosinophils and T lymphocytes in NPs. Dexamethasone inhibited the production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) from both NP epithelial cells that were unstimulated and NP epithelial cells that were stimulated with interleukin-4 or tumor necrosis factor alpha. These results suggest that the clinical efficacy of glucocorticoids on NPs may be due to 1) induction of apoptosis in both eosinophils and T lymphocytes that infiltrate NPs, and 2) down-regulation of epithelial GM-CSF production, which prolongs eosinophil survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sapporo Medical University, S1 W16 Chuo-ku, Sapporo City, 060-8543 Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shirasaki
authors.forename: Etsuko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kanaizumi
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Himi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009666:Nose / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4; D003907:Dexamethasone; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor