title: Expression of Toll-like receptors in nasal epithelium in allergic rhinitis.
abstract: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are important in barrier homeostasis, but their role in airborne allergies is not fully understood. The aim was to evaluate baseline and allergen-induced expression of TLR proteins in nasal epithelium during allergic rhinitis. Nineteen otherwise healthy non-smoking volunteers both allergic to birch pollen and non-allergic controls were enrolled. We took nasal biopsies before and after off-seasonal intranasal birch pollen or diluent challenge. The expression of epithelial TLR1-7, TLR9-10, and MyD88 proteins was immunohistochemically evaluated from the nasal biopsies. The TLR1-3 and TLR5-10 mRNAs were observed by RNA-microarray. Baseline epithelial expression of TLR proteins was wide and identical in controls and atopics. After off-seasonal intranasal birch pollen challenge, a negative change in the expression score of TLR1 and TLR6 proteins was detected in the atopic group. TLR mRNA expression was not affected by birch pollen challenge. Nasal epithelium seems to express all known TLRs. The mechanisms by which TLR1, and TLR6 proteins could affect pollen allergen transport need further studies.
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Laboratory, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Jutta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Renkonen
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Laboratory, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.|Department of Allergy, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Sanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toppila-Salmi
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Laboratory, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Sakari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joenväärä
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Laboratory, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.|Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Pirkko
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mattila
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Laboratory, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Ville
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Parviainen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.|HUSLAB, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hagström
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.|Research Programs Unit, Translational Cancer Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Caj
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haglund
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lehtonen
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Laboratory, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.|HUSLAB, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Risto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Renkonen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D029662:Betula; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D011058:Pollen; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
keywords: Allergic rhinitis; challenge; epithelium; immunohistochemistry; toll-like receptor