Sinus mucosal IL-8 gene expression in chronic rhinosinusitis

J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1999 Mar;103(3 Pt 1):395-400. doi: 10.1016/s0091-6749(99)70462-8.

Abstract

Background: Epithelial hyperplasia and mucosal infiltration of leukocytes are common features of chronic rhinosinusitis. The epithelium can produce chemoattractant cytokines that may contribute to leukocyte infiltration in rhinosinusitis.

Objective: We sought to determine whether mucosal IL-8 gene expression is increased in chronic rhinosinusitis and to relate IL-8 gene expression to disease severity.

Methods: We used both a noncompetitive and a quantitative, competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to examine IL-8 gene expression in samples of sinus mucosal tissue obtained during surgery from 22 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and 9 normal control subjects. IL-8 gene expression was related to disease severity assessed by sinus computed tomography (CT) scores and to symptom scores assessed by means of a questionnaire.

Results: Sinus mucosal IL-8 gene expression was not detected in any of the control subjects but was present in 12 of 22 (55%) patients with rhinosinusitis. Sinus CT scores and symptom scores were both significantly higher in patients with positive mucosal IL-8 gene expression than in subjects with no detectable IL-8 gene expression. Positive IL-8 gene expression was not predicted by history of prior surgery nor by atopic or asthmatic status. In 9 subjects with positive IL-8 gene expression, levels of mRNA expression, assessed by competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, correlated significantly (rho = 0.72, P <.05) with sinus CT scores.

Conclusion: Sinus mucosal expression of the gene for IL-8 is increased in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, and the level of IL-8 gene expression correlates with disease severity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Asthma / complications
  • Chronic Disease
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Hypersensitivity, Immediate / complications
  • Interleukin-8 / biosynthesis*
  • Interleukin-8 / genetics
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mucous Membrane / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Rhinitis / complications
  • Rhinitis / diagnostic imaging
  • Rhinitis / genetics
  • Rhinitis / metabolism*
  • Sinusitis / complications
  • Sinusitis / diagnostic imaging
  • Sinusitis / genetics
  • Sinusitis / metabolism*
  • Sinusitis / surgery
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Interleukin-8
  • RNA, Messenger