Repurposing celecoxib ameliorates olfactory dysfunction following rhinosinusitis by attenuating neuroinflammation

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Rhinosinusitis causes olfactory dysfunction by damaging the neuroepithelium and increasing inflammation.
• Selective cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitors, like celecoxib, possess anti-inflammatory properties that may reduce neuroinflammation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the therapeutic potential of celecoxib in mitigating sensorineural olfactory impairment associated with rhinosinusitis.
• To evaluate celecoxib's effects on neuroinflammation, neuroepithelial structure, and olfactory function.

Main Methods:

• Rhinosinusitis was induced in male C57BL/6 mice using intranasal lipopolysaccharide (LPS).
• Mice received celecoxib via subcutaneous injection.
• Evaluations included sinonasal tissue histology, olfactory function tests, and gene expression analysis in the olfactory bulb.

Main Results:

• LPS-induced rhinosinusitis led to impaired olfactory function, increased neutrophil infiltration, goblet cell hyperplasia, and elevated inflammatory markers in the olfactory bulb.
• Celecoxib treatment significantly improved olfactory function.
• Celecoxib administration reduced neutrophil infiltration, decreased goblet cell numbers, and attenuated neuroinflammation.

Conclusions:

• Celecoxib effectively alleviates sensorineural olfactory dysfunction in a mouse model of rhinosinusitis.
• The mechanism involves reducing sinonasal neuroinflammation and preserving neuroepithelial integrity.
• Celecoxib demonstrates therapeutic potential for treating olfactory loss in patients with rhinosinusitis.