title: Enhanced nerve growth factor expression by mast cells does not differ significantly between idiopathic and allergic rhinitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of neurotrophins in allergic rhinitis (AR) has been well studied, but it has not been evaluated in idiopathic rhinitis (IR).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to evaluate the nasal β-nerve growth factor (β-NGF) expressions of mast cells in patients with AR and IR.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen patients with house dust mites-induced persistent moderate/severe allergic rhinitis (mean age: 29.7 ± 11.96), 14 patients with idiopathic rhinitis (mean age, 29.3 ± 10.62), and 16 healthy controls (29.9 ± 11.57) were included in the study. Nasal biopsy specimens were taken from the posterior part of the inferior turbinate from all of the study subjects. Nasal β-nerve growth factor and its receptors, pan-neurotrophin receptor p75, and tyrosine kinase A (trkA) were assessed with an immunofluorescence assay. Mast cells were determined by both an immunofluorescence assay and immunohistochemistry as tryptase-positive cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The β-NGF, trkA, and p75 receptor counts were significantly higher in AR and IR patients than in the control group (P < .001, for each), but they were not different between AR and IR patients. Similarly, the ratio of β-NGF+ mast cells/total mast cells and the ratio of β-NGF+ mast cells/total β-NGF+ cells in AR and IR patients was found to be elevated when compared with the control group (P < .001, P < .001, P < .001, and P = .046, respectively); furthermore, the 2 ratios were not statistically different between the 2 patient groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increase in β-NGF-expressing mast cells does not differ between idiopathic and allergic rhinitis. Therefore, we propose that mast cells do play a role in the pathogenesis of IR as important as in that of AR.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Turkey. gelincik@istanbul.edu.tr
authors.forename: Aslı
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gelincik
authors.forename: Filiz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aydın
authors.forename: Bilge
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ozerman
authors.forename: Mine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ergüven
authors.forename: Salih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aydın
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bilir
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Genç
authors.forename: Hacer
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eroğlu
authors.forename: Bahattin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Colakoğlu
authors.forename: Sacide
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erden
authors.forename: Suna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Büyüköztürk
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D020917:Receptor, trkA / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012223:Rhinitis, Vasomotor / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D020917:Receptor, trkA