[Expression of cell adhesion molecule and nitric oxide synthase in nasal mucosa in allergic rhinitis]

To explore the role of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the pathological mechanism of allergic rhinitis.

Three kinds of CAMs, which are intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and lymphocyte function antigen-1 (LFA-1), as well as three kinds of NOS, which are neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were orthotopic detected by strept avidin-biotin complex (SABC) immunohistochemistry method in 40 cases of inferior nasal concha of allergic rhinitis.

There are only small number of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and LFA-1 positive cells in the normal concha mucosa epithelial but more positive cells in allergic rhinitis. The number of positive cell of ICAM-1, LFA-1, VCAM-1 in the concha mucosa was [(14.4+/-2.2), (17.2+/-3.3), (11.5+/-2.7) per scope (x400) +/-s] respectively; in the control group the number of positive cell of ICAM-1, LFA-1, VCAM-1 in the concha mucosa was (8.7+/-1.8), (10.3+/-2.1), (6.9+/-1.8) respectively. The statistic differences were significant (t = 11.57, 10.02, 8.07 respectively; P<0.01). A certain number of nNOS positive cells were found in the concha mucosa in allergic rhinitis patients, it was mainly expressed in mucosa epithelial and submucosa glandular; a large number of iNOS positive cells were found in the concha mucosa in allergic rhinitis patients, iNOS was mainly expressed in mucosa epithelial, submucosa glandular, endothelial and submucosa inflammatory cell; the number of eNOS positive cell was few. In the normal control, few positive cells of nNOS, iNOS or eNOS could be found. Between the allergic rhinitis patients and the normal control, the number of nNOS positive cell was [(9.4+/-1.7), (4.7+/-1.3) per scope (x400)] respectively, t = 12.62 (P<0.01); the number of iNOS positive cell was (27.5+/-3.2), (4.3+/-1.7) respectively, t = 36.03 (P<0.01) the number of eNOS positive cell was (6.5+/-2.1), (6.2+/-1.9) respectively, t = 0.62 (P>0.05).

These adhesion molecules might be involved in edema, exudation and infiltration of inflammatory cells of nasal mucosa in allergic rhinitis patients. The number of nNOS, iNOS positive cell in inferior concha mucosa in allergic rhinitis patients was significant higher than in normal control. It suggests that nNOS and iNOS might be involved in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis.