Evidence of platelet-activating factor in nasal polyps

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) was measured in human nasal polyps obtained from patients with chronic sinusitis. PAF was quantitated by platelet-aggregating activity and was found to be 7.8 +/- 1.8 pg/micrograms phosphorus of polyp phospholipid (mean +/- SE; n = 23). In the polyps, phosphatidylcholine constituted 30% of the total phospholipids, of which 8.5% was the ether-linked type. Incubations of replicates of the fresh polyps in Tyrode's solution in the presence of calcium ionophore A23187 and antihuman immunoglobulin E resulted in 295 and 65% increases in the amount of PAF, respectively. Thus, nasal polyps in humans with chronic sinusitis possess PAF and have the potential to produce PAF upon stimulation. The participation of PAF in nasal polyp formation is discussed.