Cytokines in nasal polyposis, acute and chronic sinusitis

Cytokines are potent biologic factors involved in the regulation of inflammation, immune defense, and wound healing. Recently, growing interest has developed in the role of cytokines in chronic sinusitis and nasal polyposis. In the present study, we investigated the cytokine profile of different types of rhinosinusitis in order to evaluate whether a specific form of rhinosinusitis is associated with the expression of a certain cytokine profile. Sinus mucosa from patients with acute sinusitis (n = 10), chronic sinusitis (n = 7), antrochoanal polyp (n = 10), nasal polyps (n = 8) and controls of turbinate mucosa (n = 7) were sampled. The cytokine protein content (IL-1 beta, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, GM-CSF, interferon-gamma) of tissue homogenates was measured using ELISA technique. In acute sinusitis, the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines and of the neutrophil chemokine IL-8 and IL-3 appeared to be upregulated. Chronic sinusitis mucosa demonstrated no significantly increased concentrations of the measured cytokines. In bilateral nasal polyposis, but not in antrochoanal polyps, the eosinophil related cytokine IL-5 was strongly upregulated. From these findings, it appears that specific cytokine patterns are found in different forms of sinusitis, and that IL-5 may represent the most important cytokine responsible for tissue eosinophilia in nasal polyposis.