Effects of topical amphotericin B on expression of cytokines in nasal polyps.
OBJECTIVE
Although chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is one of the most frequently reported chronic diseases its etiology is not well understood. Recently, fungi have been proposed to influence the chronicity of rhinosinusitis. If fungi do play an important role then topical antifungal treatment may improve the inflammatory process of CRS. Therefore, in this study we measured inflammatory cytokine levels in nasal polyps after intranasal antifungal irrigation.


METHODS
Nasal polyps were collected before and 4 weeks after treatment with 100 mg/l topical amphotericin B (n = 16), 50 mg/l topical amphotericin B (n = 14) or normal saline (n = 11). The cytokine--IL-5, IL-8, interferon-gamma, RANTES--protein content of polyp homogenates were determined by means of ELISA.


RESULTS
Nasal polyps were found to contain large amounts of cytokines (IL-5, IL-8 and RANTES) compared with normal inferior turbinates. After 4 weeks of treatment with topical agents, IL-5 levels tended to decrease in comparison with those of the other cytokines, but this difference was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Topical amphotericin B treatment and nasal saline irrigation both influence the expression of nasal polyp cytokines. Topical nasal irrigation may influence the inflammatory process of CRS.
Shin
Seung-Heon
SH
Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu, South Korea. hsseung@cu.ac.kr
Ye
Mi-Kyung
MK
D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D016207:Cytokines; D015848:Interleukin-5; D016209:Interleukin-8; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D000666:Amphotericin B; D007371:Interferon-gamma