Increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha in the nasal polyps.
OBJECTIVE
The etiology and mechanism of nasal polyps are still not well known. A newly discovered transcriptional factor, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), is a DNA-binding protein. Hypoxia-inducible factor is demonstrated to associate with various neoplasms. We investigate the expression of HIF-1alpha protein in nasal polyps compared with inferior turbinate mucosa, further examining the correlation to the computed tomography (CT) scoring and duration of symptoms with HIF-1alpha expression.


METHODS
Surgical specimens of polyps from 38 patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery had immunohistochemical staining for HIF-1alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor. Thirty-six patients who had undergone septomeatoplasty were collected as a control group. The severity of the disease was judged by the Lund-Mackay scoring system by CT scanning.


RESULTS
The expression of HIF-1alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor were significantly increased in nasal polyps than in the control group. No correlation was found between the severity of CT scan and duration of symptoms to the HIF-1alpha expression.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that HIF-1alpha may play a role in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps.
Hsu
Ying-Che
YC
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan.
Kuo
Wen-Rei
WR
Chen
Yi-Yu
YY
Tai
Chi-Feng
CF
Tsai
Chi-Jen
CJ
Wang
Ling-Feng
LF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014420:Turbinates / Q000378:metabolism
D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit