Stimulation of dispersed nasal polyp cells by hyperosmolar solutions

It has been suggested that hyperosmolarity may be one of the stimuli that provoke exercise-induced asthma and rhinitis. We investigated whether changes in osmolarity could result in increased levels of mediator release from nasal cells. Cells were dispersed from nasal polyps by enzymatic digestion and were incubated for 15 minutes with solutions of varying osmolarity obtained by the addition of mannitol to Hanks' balanced salt solution. After incubation was performed, cell supernatants were removed, and the release of 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, prostaglandin2 leukotriene B4, and fibronectin was measured. Lactate dehydrogenase was measured to assess cell viability. Epithelial cells made up 40% to 60% of cells and mononuclear cells 40% to 65%. At 900 mOsm/kg H2O, which has been suggested as the osmolarity of the fluid lining the airways during exercise, we observed a significant increase (Wilcoxon W test) in the release of 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (p < 0.008), leukotriene B4 (p < 0.008), and prostaglandin2 (p < 0.008), but no significant increase in the release of fibronectin was seen. No significant increase was seen between lactate dehydrogenase and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid release, suggesting that the increase in mediator levels was not caused by cell death. These results show that hyperosmolar solutions can induce activation of nasal cells, which may at least partly explain rhinitis caused by exercise.