Evaluation of BRAF and KRAS Gene Expression in Nasal Polyposis

The goal of this study was to investigate the expression patterns and potential relationship of the Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) and B-raf proto-oncogene (BRAF) genes in nasal polyposis (NP).

Twenty-nine patients were included in the study. Small punch biopsies were collected from nasal polyps during each operation and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen. Punch biopsies were also taken during surgery from the inferior turbinate or the septum mucosa of the patients as a control group, and these samples were also frozen. Total ribonucleic acid (RNA) was isolated using TRIzol reagent. The gene expression analyses of the KRAS and BRAF genes were performed by the real-time polymerase chain reaction method.

When compared to control subjects, KRAS nasal polyp gene expression increased in 21, but decreased in eight of the 29 patients. This statistical analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between the nasal polyp group and the controls (p=0.023). Like KRAS, a decrease was observed in BRAF gene expression in six, and an increase in 23 patients (p=0.011).

Our findings suggest a potential association between BRAF and KRAS genes expression and NP, but further studies are needed to confirm this relationship. This finding suggests that the genetic background of NP could be a contributing factor, with the BRAF and KRAS mutations playing a role.