title: Expression of protease-activated receptors in allergic fungal rhinosinusitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The etiology of the intense inflammatory response showed by patients with allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) remains a mystery. Potential sources of this inflammation may include fungal proteases. Protease-activated receptors (PARs) are components of the innate immune response that are modulated by proteolytic activity and are involved in potentiating T helper 2 (Th2) responses. The objective of the study was to determine whether there is differential expression of PARs in patients with AFRS compared to controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was designed as a comparison of gene expression profiles in patients with AFRS vs diseased and nondiseased controls. Twenty-five patients were enrolled. Patients with AFRS (n = 15) were compared to nondiseased controls (n = 5) undergoing minimally invasive pituitary surgery (MIPS) and patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP, n = 5) undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). Ethmoid mucosa RNA was hybridized to 4 × 44 K microarray chips. Four gene probes (PAR1, PAR2, PAR3, and PAR4) were used to assess for differential expression. A linear-mixed model was used to account for some patients having multiple samples. Significance level was determined at p < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 4 probes, only PAR3 showed statistically significant differential expression between AFRS and nondiseased control samples (p = 0.03) as well as a 2.21-fold change. No additional statistical difference in PAR expression among the comparison groups was noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PARs have been shown to enhance production of inflammatory cytokines and potentiate Th2 responses. In this initial report, patients with AFRS have a significantly increased expression of PAR3 compared to nondiseased controls.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors: Charles S
authors: CS
authors: Ebert
authors: Kibwei A
authors: KA
authors: McKinney
authors: Gene
authors: G
authors: Urrutia
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Wu
authors: Austin S
authors: AS
authors: Rose
authors: Gita M
authors: GM
authors: Fleischman
authors: Brian
authors: B
authors: Thorp
authors: Brent A
authors: BA
authors: Senior
authors: Adam M
authors: AM
authors: Zanation
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009181:Mycoses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D044462:Receptors, Proteinase-Activated / Q000235:genetics*; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D044462:Receptors, Proteinase-Activated
keywords: allergic; fungal rhinosinusitis; polyps; protease; receptors