Expression of epidermal growth factors, erbBs, in the nasal mucosa of patients with chronic hypertrophic rhinitis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of erbBs in the nasal mucosa of patients with chronic hypertrophic rhinitis.


METHODS
Inferior turbinates were collected from 12 turbinectomized patients with allergic and nonallergic chronic hypertrophic rhinitis. Differential cell counts in the peripheral blood and allergy tests were conducted before surgery. The expressions of erbB1, 2, 3 and 4 were examined by fluorescence immunohistochemistry and by quantitative real-time transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Immunohistochemical fluorescence was quantitatively measured using image-analyzing software. Eosinophils infiltrated into the mucosa were counted in sections stained with Hansel solution.


RESULTS
Each of the erbB types 1-4 was expressed in both epithelial cells and nasal gland cells. Immunoreactivity for erbB1 was strong and that for erbB2 and 3 was moderate, while that for erbB4 was faint. These findings were consistent with the results of qRT-PCR. The percentage of peripheral blood eosinophils was significantly correlated with the eosinophil count in the nasal mucosa and with immunoreactivity for erbB1 in the nasal gland.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest a possible role of eosinophils in regulating erbB1 and thus in regulating mucosal hypertrophy in chronic hypertrophic rhinitis.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan.
Khac-Hung
KH
Nguyen
Hideaki
H
Suzuki
Tetsuro
T
Wakasugi
Nobusuke
N
Hohchi
Koichi
K
Hashida
Takuro
T
Kitamura
Minori
M
Shibata
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014420:Turbinates / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; C587689:ERBB4 protein, human