title: Detection of natural killer T cells in the sinus mucosa from asthmatics with chronic sinusitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic sinusitis (CS) with asthma generally exhibits a high degree of sinus tissue eosinophilia and recurrence often occurs even after surgical therapy. However, the cause has not yet been fully clarified.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the pathogenesis of this refractory disease, we examined the infiltration of natural killer T (NKT) and type 1 helper T (Th1)/type 2 helper T (Th2) cells, and the cytokine expression in the sinus mucosa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sinus mucosal specimens were obtained surgically from 16 CS patients with nasal polyps. The NKT cells, Th1/Th2 cells and the expression of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IFN-gamma were examined by a polymerase chain reaction or flow cytometry. Nasal mucosal specimens from six other patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) were examined in a similar manner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The NKT cells were detected to varying degrees in the sinus mucosa from asthmatic CS patients, but neither in the nonasthmatics nor in the nasal mucosa from the patients with AR. The Th2 cells and Th2 cytokines were expressed at significantly higher levels in the sinus mucosa from the CS patients with asthma in comparison to those without asthma. However, the Th1 cell infiltration and IFN-gamma expression were not different between these groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Natural killer T cells may, therefore, play important roles in the enhanced Th2 cytokine expression and increased infiltration of Th2 cells and eosinophils observed in the sinus mucosa from asthmatic CS patients through MHC-independent mechanisms.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Okamoto
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Horiguchi
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Kunii
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Yonekura
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Nakayama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000601:surgery; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines