Objective: To detect the expression of the glucocorticoid receptor-alpha/beta (GR-alpha/beta) mRNA in nasal polyp and normal nasal mucosa and investigate the significance of receptor-alpha/beta in GC-insensitive and GC-sensitive patients.
Methods: The expression of GR-alpha/beta mRNA in 40 samples of nasal polyp and 30 normal nasal mucosa was examined by using Fluorescent quantitative PCR.
Results: Forty cases were screened from the 80 cases after follow-up, including 26 cases of GC-sensitive and 14 cases of GC-insensitive. the levels of GR-beta mRNA in group of GC-insensitive [(5.72 +/- 0.58) x 10(2) copy/microg] were significantly higher than that of GC-sensitive [(4.82 +/- 0.28) x 10(2) copy/microg, t = -6.65, P < 0.01] and normal nasal mucosa [(4.44 +/- 0.35) x 10(2) copy/microg, t = -9.19, P < 0.01]. There was difference between group of GC-insensitive and other two groups of GC-sensitive and normal nasal mucosa (P < 0.01). The ratio of GR-alpha/GR-beta showed significant difference between the group of GC-sensitive (829.42 +/- 67.36) and that of GC-insensitive (535.70 +/- 89. 00, t = 11.74, P < 0.01).
Conclusions: The high expression of GR-beta mRNA and low expression of GR-alpha mRNA in nasal polyp show the status of "insensitive" in chronic sinusitis and nasal polyp. The GR-beta may play an important role in evaluating the effect of glucocorticoid in chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps.