Detection of natural killer T cells in the sinus mucosa from asthmatics with chronic sinusitis.
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.
Yamamoto
H
H
Department of Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
Okamoto
Y
Y
Horiguchi
S
S
Kunii
N
N
Yonekura
S
S
Nakayama
T
T
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
D016207:Cytokines