[Diminished apoptosis in nasal mucosa of patients with persistent allergic rhinitis].
OBJECTIVE
To assess apoptosis frequency in the nasal mucosa of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.


METHODS
Eleven patients and five healthy subjects accepted to participate, from 10 to 16 years old. None of them had evidence of acute infectious disease, tobacco exposure or use of corticosteroids, antileukotrienes, antihistamines or immunotherapy. After a clinical evaluation and a skin prick testing, a nasal symptoms questionnaire was applied and a nasal washing was performed. Two hundred cells were examined (Giemsa and eosin yellowish) and apoptosis was identified by immunohistochemistry (Active-Caspase-3) (p20L18, sc-1225. Santa Cruz Biothecnology, Inc. Santa Cruz).


RESULTS
The most common allergen was Dermatophagoides sp in 10 patients (91%). The total score of the nasal symptom questionnaire was 3 to 8 (median 6) in patients and 1 to 4 (median 2) in healthy subjects (p < 0.05, Mann Whitney U test). Frequency of eosinophils was 11 to 80% in patients and 0 to 1% in healthy subjects (p < 0.05, Z for proportions). Apoptosis was less frequent in patients (0 to 5, median 2) than in healthy subjects (4 to 16, median 8) (p < 0.01, Mann Whitney U test).


CONCLUSIONS
Perennial allergic rhinitis may be associated with decreased apoptosis in the nasal mucosa.
Pastrana González
Vivián
V
Servicio de otorrinolaringología, Centro Medico Nacional La Raza, IMSS, Mexico.
Montaño Velázquez
Bertha Beatriz
BB
Huerta Yépez
Sara
S
Bekker Méndez
Vilma Carolina
VC
Campillo Navarrete
Ramón
R
Cisneros Salazar
María del Refugio
Mdel R
Mogica Martínez
María Dolores
MD
Salazar Santiago
Roberto
R
Becerril Angeles
Martín
M
Jáuregui Renaud
Kathrine
K
D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D040002:Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus / Q000276:immunology; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000473:pathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012882:Skin Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation
D000485:Allergens