title: Gene expression signatures: a new approach to understanding the pathophysiology of chronic rhinosinusitis.
abstract: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a complex inflammatory disease with variable disease manifestation. Though external risk factors are associated with development and/or persistence of CRS, the host mucosal response is also important, as nasal epithelium acts as a physical and immune barrier. Under inflammatory stress, the nasal epithelium can undergo injury, followed by a rapid remodeling response ranging from epithelial hyperplasia, to goblet-cell metaplasia, to denudation, loss of cilia, fibrosis, and basement membrane thickening. Identification of gene expression signatures and molecular pathways in CRS pathogenesis have now begun to contribute significantly to a better understanding of the genetic and molecular alterations underlying CRS development and progression. Genetic studies are especially illuminating when multiple gene variants synergize within a permissive environmental context, and are expected to guide development of more effective therapeutic targets for CRS treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore.
authors.forename: Chunwei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Bruce R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: De-Yun
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000502:physiology*