[Glucocorticoid receptor subunit expression in adenoid tissue of children with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome].
OBJECTIVE
The expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) in children is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the GR-alpha and GR-beta status in the adenoidal tissues in children with OSAHS.


METHODS
Thirty-four pediatric patients (aged 3-14 years, median 7.8 years) had sleep study with polysomnography before adenoidectomy. According to the criteria of apnea hypopnea index (AHI) > or = 5 /h or/and apnea index (AI) > or = 1/h, they were divided into OSAHS and non-OSAHS sub groups. The study was based on fluorescent quantitative PCR (FQ-RT-PCR) for the mRNA expression of GR-alpha and GR-beta in the adenoidal tissues in children.


RESULTS
GR isoforms mRNA encoding for expression of both GR-alpha and GR-beta were detected in the adenoids of all children. GR-alpha mRNA level [(9.40 +/- 3.06) x 10(5) cDNA copies/microg total RNA] in the adenoidal tissues in OSAHS was lower than those in the non-OSAHS [(1.60 +/- 0.26) x 10(6) cDNA copies/microg total RNA] (F = 40.285, P < 0.001), whereas no differences found for GR-beta [(1.57 +/- 0.35) x 10(4) cDNA copies/microg total RNA, (1.52 +/- 0.18) x 10(4) cDNA copies/microg total RNA]. GR-alpha/GR-beta ratio was 62.3 +/- 20. 3 in OSAHS and 107.4 +/- 24.4 in non-OSAHS. AHI or AI was not related to the mRNA levels of GR-alpha and GR-beta in OSAHS or non-OSAHS.


CONCLUSIONS
GR-alpha and GR-beta were detectable in the adenoidal tissues in children. These data indicated that the relationship between the expressions of GR and the clinical significance in OSAHS need further and profound investigation.
Zhang
Xiao-Wen
XW
Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
Li
Yuan
Y
Xie
Min-Qiang
MQ
Zhang
Ge-Hua
GH
Liu
Xian
X
Wang
Zhen-Lin
ZL
Wang
Tao
T
Li
Zhong-Han
ZH
D000234:Adenoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000378:metabolism*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; C411470:glucocorticoid receptor alpha; C121943:glucocorticoid receptor beta