title: Nasal polyps in patients with and without cystic fibrosis: a differentiation by innate markers and inflammatory mediators.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The dysfunction of the mucosal interface of the upper respiratory tract in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is clinically visible by the development of nasal polyps (NP) at a young age. Innate defence markers and inflammatory mediators in NP from patients with CF were compared with non-cystic fibrosis nasal polyps (non-CF-NP) to determine a possible different immunological background in macroscopically similar tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surgical samples were obtained from patients with non-CF-NP, cystic fibrosis patients with nasal polyps (CF-NP) and control patients (CO). With real time PCR, the mRNA expression of human beta defensins (HBD) 2 and 3, toll-like receptors (TLR) 2 and 4 and the macrophage mannose receptor (MMR) were measured. On homogenates of the surgical samples eotaxin, myeloperoxidase (MPO), IL-5 and IL-8 protein content was measured using commercial ELISA kits; IgE and eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) were measured by the Unicap system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In CF-NP we found a statistically significant higher mRNA expression of HBD 2 compared with non-CF-NP and CO and of TLR 2 compared with non-CF-NP. In the non-CF-NP group, MMR mRNA expression was significantly elevated compared with CO and CF-NP. For TLR 4 mRNA expression no statistically significant differences were found between groups. IL-5 was below detection level in all CO and CF-NP, but was measurable in 80% of the non-CF-NP. MPO and IL-8 concentrations were significantly higher in CF-NP compared with CO and non-CF-NP, whereas ECP, eotaxin and IgE were significantly higher in the non-CF-NP group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We here demonstrate that CF-NP and non-CF-NP not only differ in terms of inflammatory mediator profile, but also in terms of innate markers.
authors.affiliation: Upper airways Research Laboratory, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ghent University, Belgium. sem.claeys@Ugent.be
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Claeys
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Hoecke
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holtappels
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gevaert
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Belder
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Verhasselt
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Cauwenberge
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bachert
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000032:analysis; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000032:analysis; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000032:analysis; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D000090323:Mannose Receptor; D037241:Mannose-Binding Lectins / Q000032:analysis; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000032:analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; C422950:DEFB103A protein, human; C106641:DEFB4A protein, human; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015848:Interleukin-5; D016209:Interleukin-8; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D000090323:Mannose Receptor; D037241:Mannose-Binding Lectins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C495342:TLR2 protein, human; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D023083:beta-Defensins; D009195:Peroxidase