Objective: To investigate the correlation between Notch pathway expression in nasal polyps and Treg percentage and Eos infiltration. Methods: Patients with chronic sinusitis and simple nasal septum deviation who received nasal endoscopic surgery in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University between November 2012 and August 2018 were selected and enrolled in CRS group and control group respectively. Nasal mucosa tissues were collected from 30 CRSsNP patients (14 males and 16 females aged from 18 to 63), 58 CRSwNP patients (38 males and 20 females aged from 18 to 65) and 29 patients (19 males and 10 females aged from 20 to 57), who underwent nasal endoscopic surgery for correction of simple nasal septum deviation. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe the infiltration of eosinophilic granulocytes in the tissues and to classify chronic sinusitis with polyps (CRSwNP) into eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (Eos-CRSwNP)and non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (Eos-CRSwNP). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of Notch pathway receptors (Notch-l, 2, 3, 4) and their ligands (Jagded-l, Jagded-2, Delta-l, Delta-3and Delta-4) in the nasal mucosa of each group, as well as the expression of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13), eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP)and the key transcription factor Foxp3 in Treg cells. Finally, flow cytometry was used to detect CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells in nasal mucosa of each group. Results: Compared with controls, the expression of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) in CRSsNP and non-Eos-CRSwNP patients was the highest in Eos-CRSwNP (F=16.930,9.197,9.116, all P<0.05). Foxp3 had the lowest expression in Eos-CRSwNP patients and was lower than non-Eos-CRSwNP patients (F=2.780,P<0.05), and was negatively correlated with ECP (r=-0.326,P<0.05). Compared with controls, Eos-CRSwNP patients in CRSsNP patients and non-Eos-CRSwNP patients exhibited a significantly lower frequency of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Treg cells (F=13.140, all P<0.01). The expression of Notch-l and Jagged-l in Eos-CRSwNP was significantly higher than that of the controls, CRSsNP patients and non-Eos-CRSwNP patients (F=5.953/F=6.380, P<0.05). In the nasal polyp group, the expression of Notch-l and Jagged-l showed significantly negative correlation with Foxp3 (r=-0.611/-0.346, all P<0.05), and positive correlation with Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) and ECP, respectively (r=0.781/0.459,0.621/0.601,0.605/0.490,0.464/0.668, all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the expression of receptor and ligand of the other Notch pathway among the groups. Conclusion: Abnormal activation of Notch-l/Jagged-l pathway may be involved in decreasing Treg ratio in Eos-CRSwNP, thereby promoting Th2 inflammatory response and Eosinophil infiltration.
目的： 探讨Notch通路在鼻息肉中的表达及其与调节性T细胞（Treg细胞）表达和嗜酸粒细胞（Eos）浸润的相关性。 方法： 选择2012年11月至2018年8月期间在中山大学附属第三医院接受鼻内镜手术的慢性鼻窦炎（CRS）和鼻中隔偏曲的患者，分别作为CRS组和对照组。收集慢性鼻窦炎不伴鼻息肉（CRSsNP）患者（30例，男14例，女16例，年龄18~63岁）、慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉（CRSwNP）患者（58例，男38例，女20例，年龄18~65岁）的窦口鼻道复合体黏膜组织、鼻息肉，对照组（29例，男19例，女10例，年龄20~57岁）患者的下鼻甲黏膜组织。通过苏木精-伊红（hematoxylin-eosin，HE）染色法观察组织中的Eos浸润情况，并将CRSwNP分为嗜酸粒细胞性慢性鼻窦炎伴息肉（Eos-CRSwNP）和非嗜酸粒细胞性慢性鼻窦炎伴息肉（non-Eos-CRSwNP）。通过实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应（quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction，qRT-PCR）的方法检测4组患者Notch通路受体Notch-1、Notch-2、Notch-3、Notch-4及其配体Jagged-1、Jagged-2、Delta-1、Delta-3和Delta-4的表达，Th2型细胞因子［白细胞介素4（IL-4）、IL-5、IL-13］、嗜酸粒细胞阳离子蛋白（eosinophilic cationic protein，ECP）以及Treg细胞关键转录因子Foxp3的表达。采用流式细胞术检测CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg细胞在4组患者鼻黏膜组织中的表达。采用SPSS 20.0软件进行统计学分析，多组间均数比较采用单因素方差分析，相关性分析采用Spearman检验。 结果： 与对照组、CRSsNP组和non-Eos-CRSwNP组相比，Eos-CRSwNP组的IL-4、IL-5、IL-13表达水平最高（F值分别为16.930、9.197、9.116，P值均<0.05）；Foxp3的表达水平最低（F=2.780，P<0.05）；Foxp3与ECP呈负相关（r=-0.326，P<0.05）。Eos-CRSwNP组中CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg细胞占比低于对照组、CRSsNP组、non-Eos-CRSwNP组（F=13.140，P<0.01）。Notch-1、Jagged-1在Eos-CRSwNP组中表达高于non-Eos-CRSwNP组，差异有统计学意义（F值分别为5.953、 6.380，P值均<0.05）；且在鼻息肉组中Notch-1/Jagged-1与Foxp3表达呈负相关（r值分别为-0.611、-0.346，P值均<0.05），与IL-4、IL-5、IL-13和ECP的表达呈正相关（r值分别为0.781、0.459，0.621、0.601，0.605、0.490，0.464、0.668，P值均<0.05）；在鼻息肉组中其余Notch通路受体/配体在各组间的表达无相关性。 结论： Notch-1/Jagged-1通路异常激活可能参与调控Eos-CRSwNP中Treg细胞功能的抑制，以促进Th2型炎性反应及Eos浸润。.