Expression of mammaglobins A and B in nasal polyps is similar in patients with and without allergic rhinitis.
BACKGROUND
The causes of nasal polyposis remain unclear. Mammaglobins have been implicated in its pathogenesis. However, their association with the occurrence of nasal polyps in the presence of allergic rhinitis (AR) has not been explored. The aim of this study was to compare the expression levels of mammaglobins A and B with the nasal polyps of patients with and without AR.


METHODS
Thirty-one patients with bilateral nasal polyposis underwent skin-prick tests to specific aeroallergens. Nasal polyp tissues were obtained from all patients and divided into two groups as nasal polyps with and without AR depending on clinical history and the skin-prick test results. All polyp tissues were analyzed for the levels of mammaglobin A and mammaglobin B by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique.


RESULTS
Of the 16 samples from patients having nasal polyps with AR, only 1 sample expressed a detectable level of mammaglobin A (1/16). There was no detectable expression of mammaglobin A in tissues from the group of nasal polyps without AR (0/15). Expression of mammaglobin B was detected in all nasal polyp tissues from both groups. The expression of mammaglobin B was not significantly different between nasal polyps with AR (median, 25th-75th percentiles; 0.023, 0.013-0.046) and nasal polyps without AR (0.032, 0.007-0.16).


CONCLUSIONS
Expression levels of mammaglobins A and B in nasal polyps are not different between patients with and without AR. Our findings suggest that mammaglobins' implication in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps is independent of an underlying AR.
Chusakul
Supinda
S
Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Phannaso
Chuntima
C
Tongkobpetch
Siraprapa
S
Aeumjaturapat
Songklot
S
Poovorawan
Yong
Y
Suphapeetiporn
Kanya
K
Shotelersuk
Vorasuk
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D060785:Mammaglobin A; D060788:Mammaglobin B; D008875:Middle Aged; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011510:Proteolipids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D060765:Secretoglobins; D014598:Uteroglobin / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D060785:Mammaglobin A; D060788:Mammaglobin B; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011510:Proteolipids; C556467:SCGB2A1 protein, human; C556448:SCGB2A2 protein, human; D060765:Secretoglobins; D014598:Uteroglobin