title: PLUNC proteins positivity in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis: a case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Innate immunity is the first protection against microorganisms. Nowadays, there is a growing interest in innate immune molecule known as palate, lung, nasal epithelial clone (PLUNC). PLUNC is a specific product of the airways, of approximately 25 kDa, encoded by adjacent genes found within a 300 kb region of chromosome 20; these proteins must be detected predominantly in the upper respiratory tract.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a case-control study to investigate the presence of this protein in nasal tissue of patients affected by chronic rhinosinusitis. 59 patients were enrolled (44 cases, 15 controls). We have examined the correlation between the presence of pathology and the PLUNC proteins positivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  100% of controls have a +++ rated PLUNC proteins positivity, while cases have a lower percentage of positivity. We used χ (2) statistical test to analyze the results of the study and there is a difference statistically significant between cases and controls in PLUNC proteins positivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These observations suggest that, in response to agents or chemical factors, nasal mucosal epithelium will react and produce PLUNC proteins. So PLUNC proteins have a protective function on upper airways mucosa, as we can see by evaluating the high positivity in control group.
authors.affiliation: Direttore Otorinolaringoiatria, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Viale Bracci, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Desiderio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Passali
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, Sfanta Maria Clinical Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy 37, Dionisie Lupu Street, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Codrut
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9436-7772
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sarafoleanu
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, Sfanta Maria Clinical Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy 37, Dionisie Lupu Street, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Claudiu
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7125-293X
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Manea
authors.affiliation: Direttore Otorinolaringoiatria, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Viale Bracci, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loglisci
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, Univeristá degli Studi "Tor Vergata" di Roma, U.O.C. di Otorinolaringoiatria, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Passali
authors.affiliation: Direttore Otorinolaringoiatria, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Viale Bracci, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Jacopo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cambi
authors.affiliation: Anatomopathology Department, Sfanta Maria Clinical Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy 37, Dionisie Lupu Street, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iosif
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Sfanta Maria Clinical Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy 37, Dionisie Lupu Street, 020021 Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0083-8992
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Panaitescu
authors.affiliation: Direttore Otorinolaringoiatria, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Viale Bracci, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa Maria
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bellussi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C485599:BPIFA1 protein, human; D006023:Glycoproteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins