title: [The expression of IL-23 in nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitis patients and its significance].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of interleukin (IL)-23 in the nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitis patients and its significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  mRNA and protein expression of IL-23 in inferior turbinate mucosa from 12 allergic rhinitis patients and 11 control patients was measured by means of real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL-23p19 mRNA relative expression level in nasal mucosa was significantly increased in allergic rhinitis patients compared with normal controls (P < 0.01). Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that IL-23 protein was mainly expressed by infiltrating inflammatory cells in lamina propria and there was increased number of IL-23 positive cells in allergic rhinitis patients in comparison with normal controls. Correlation analysis showed that the mRNA and protein expression level of IL-23 was significantly positively correlated with the number of the inflammatory cells (r = 0.678 and 0.644, respectively; both P < 0.01) and the degree of subepithelial collagen deposition (r = 0.834 and 0.721, respectively; both P < 0.01). IL-23p19 mRNA relative expression level in nasal mucosa was significantly decreased in allergic rhinitis patients who used glucocorticoids compared with controls (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-23 may contribute to the chronic inflammation and airway remodelling in allergic rhinitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Qixue
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yonghua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D053759:Interleukin-23