Mucin and Lysozyme Expression in the Epithelium of Normal Human Nasal Inferior Turbinate and Polyps / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In chronic bronchitis, rhinitis or cystic fibrosis, the number of goblet cells increases along with hypertrophy of mucous cells in submucosal gland, resulting ineffective mucociliary clearance. But, it is still not fully understood what role each gene plays in producing airway secretions. This study aimed to figure out which mucin gene is expressed in the epithelium of normal human nasal mucosa and nasal polyps, and to verify whether the epithelium of nasal polyp itself contributes to the increased nasal secretion as in chronic sinusitis with nasal polyp. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Normal nasal epithelial cells were obt assay. And, RT-PCR was used for the detection of mucin mRNA and lysozyme mRNA. RESULTS: The level of intracellular mucin was 2.9 times higher in the epithelium of nasal polyp, and this was statistically significant. Among seven mucin genes (MUC1, 2, 4, 5AC, 5B, 7, 8) expressed in the epithelium of normal inferior turbinate and polyps, MUC2 and MUC8 were more strongly expressed in the epithelium of nasal polyp than those of normal inferior turbinate. CONCLUSION: This results suggest that the polyp epithelium itself is contributing to increased secretion in chronic sinusitis, and MUC2 and MUC8 are thought tbe responsible for this change. However, further study is required to uncover the full sequence of MUC8 mRNA and its exact function.