Comparison of Rhinovirus Infection Rate and Virus-induced Cytokine Secretion between Nasal Polyp Mucosae and Normal Sphenoid Sinus Mucosae Organ Culture Model

Wang, Jong Hwan; Kwon, Hyun Ja; Chung, Yoo Sam; Lee, Bong Jae; Jang, Yong Ju

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Human rhinovirus (HRV) infection is the primary cause of the common cold. It was often reported that the frequency of viral rhinitis is higher among patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRS/ NP) than normal subjects. And, patients with nasal polyps often complain that they suffer from a relatively severe degree of URI. The purpose of this article was to evaluate whether the HRV infection rate and virus-induced cytokine secretion is different between the organ culture model of the nasal polyp mucosae and the sinus mcuosae.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Organ cultures of nasal polyps from sixteen CRS/NP patients and normal sphenoid sinus mucosae from nineteen patients who underwent the trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery were tested. The successful viral infection by HRV-16 was determined by seminested reverse transcription-PCR. Immunoreactive IL-6 and IL-8 were quantitated using the ELISA.
RESULTS
A PCR product indicating the successful RV infection was detected in nine of sixteen (56.3%) polyp samples and eleven of nineteen (57.9%) normal sphenoid sinus samples were tested positive for HRV-16. Rhinovirus infection increased the IL-6 and IL-8 secretion to 236% and 173% in polyp samples and to 231% and 145% in sphenoid mucosa samples respectively. However, there was no significant difference in rhinovirus infection rate and in the rhinovirus-induced IL-6 and IL-8 secretion between the groups.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study may suggest that the nasal polyp mucosae, when compared with normal sinus mucosae, did not show more vulnerability to HRV infection nor more intense cytokine response by HRV infection.