title: Immunohistochemical localization of alpha and beta adrenergic receptors in the human nasal turbinate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adrenergic receptors (ARs) include four general types (α1, α2, β1 and β2), which are found in different target tissues. α-AR agonists are commonly used for decongestant therapy of upper airway diseases. In order to clarify the roles of AR subtypes in the upper airways, we investigated the localization of these receptors by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human turbinates were obtained after turbinectomy from 12 patients with nasal obstruction refractory to medical therapy. The specific cells expressing α- and β-AR proteins were identified by immunostaining using an anti-human AR subtype-specific antibodies (α1A-, α1D-, α2C- and β2-ARs) antibody.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that immunoreactivities for α1D- and β2-ARs were densely distributed in submucosal glands. In contrast, immunoreactivities for α1A- and 2C-ARs were densely distributed in vascular smooth muscle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggested that adrenergic receptor (AR) subtypes had different roles in upper airway diseases, such as allergic rhinitis and nonallergic rhinitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sapporo Medical University, S-1 W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8543 Japan. Electronic address: shira@sapmed.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shirasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sapporo Medical University, S-1 W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8543 Japan.
authors.forename: Etsuko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kanaizumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sapporo Medical University, S-1 W-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8543 Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Himi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000601:surgery; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000378:metabolism; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000378:metabolism*; D014420:Turbinates / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C547713:ADRA1A protein, human; C547719:ADRA1D protein, human; C547774:ADRA2C protein, human; C553443:ADRB2 protein, human; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2
keywords: Alpha adrenergic receptor; Beta adrenergic receptor; Human turbinate; Immunohistochemistry; Upper airway