Macrophage inflammatory protein-1 production and eosinophil infiltration in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

Eosinophil recruitment to the nasal mucosa involves a number of chemokines. The aim of this study was to evaluate nasal secretion levels of macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1α) and MIP-1β and to correlate these levels with clinical characteristics and degree of eosinophilia in nonallergic and allergic patients with nasal polyposis (NP).

Fourteen nonatopic and 14 atopic patients with NP were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Fourteen healthy subjects were included as controls. The concentrations of MIP-1α and MIP-1β in nasal secretions were measured by flow cytometry. Eosinophil counts were performed by cytological examination of the scraped nasal mucosa. We scored each of the 28 patients according to the nasal symptom score, endoscopic score, and computed tomography (CT) score.

We found significantly higher concentrations of MIP-1α in nasal fluid of nonallergic and allergic NP patients compared to control subjects. In nonallergic patients, we found positive correlations between MIP-1α levels and endoscopic score, CT score, and the percentage of eosinophils.

MIP-1α may play a role in eosinophil recruitment in NP. Our results suggest that the measurement of MIP-1α in nasal secretions could be useful in evaluating the degree of eosinophil inflammation and severity of disease in nonallergic patients.