Nasal endoscopic findings and nasal symptoms in patients with asthma: a clinical study from a rhinological perspective.

Objective: Allergic rhinitis (AR), non-allergic rhinitis (NAR), chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), and chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) occur frequently in asthmatic patients. We evaluated nasal symptoms and nasal endoscopic findings in patients with asthma and correlated them to asthma severity.

Methods: Subjects (n=150) with asthma completed questionnaires designed to provide information related to asthma and nasal disease.

A hospital-based survey on the prevalence of bronchial asthma in patients with allergic rhinitis in southern China.

Background: The prevalence of bronchial asthma (BA) and the underlying risk factors in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) in China are largely unknown. Thus, this study is designed to assess the BA comorbidity in AR patients in two cities (Guangzhou and Zhuhai) of southern China and to determine the risk factors of BA in these AR patients.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional, hospital-based survey in two modernized cities in southern China.

Identification of fungi in fungal ball sinusitis: comparison between MUC5B immunohistochemical and Grocott methenamine silver staining.

Conclusion: MUC5B immunohistochemical staining was a valuable method for identifying fungi in fungal ball sinusitis, especially in distinguishing aspergillus and mucor. Combined infection with Aspergillus and Mucor fungi was the most common pattern in fungal ball sinusitis.

Objective: To assess the value of MUC5B immunohistochemical staining in identifying fungi in fungal ball sinusitis by comparing it with conventional Grocott methenamine silver (GMS) staining.

Sensitivity of MUC5AC to topical corticosteroid is negatively associated with interleukin-17A in patients with allergic rhinitis.

Background: Although Interleukin (IL)-17A has been suggested to play a role in corticosteroid hyporesponsiveness, whether IL-17A is able to affect the sensitivity of MUC5AC to intranasal corticosteroid treatment in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) is unclear.

Methods: Twenty patients with moderate to severe AR were enrolled in this study and the expression of MUC5AC, IL-17A, and glucocorticoid receptor beta (GR beta) was detected using immunochemical staining and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) before and after treatment with fluticasone propionate (FP) nasal spray for 4 weeks, respectively. In addition, the effects of FP on IL-13- and IL-17A-induced MUC5AC and GR beta were also evaluated in the primarily cultured human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) in vitro.

Characterizing T-cell phenotypes in nasal polyposis in Chinese patients.

Background: Nasal polyposis has different etiologies in Western and Eastern countries. Furthermore, its pathogenesis is still poorly understood.

Objective: To determine the T-cell phenotypes involved in nasal polyposis in Chinese patients.

Interleukin-6 is essential for Staphylococcal exotoxin B-induced T regulatory cell insufficiency in nasal polyps.

Background: The pathogenesis of nasal polyps is still unclear. There is increasing evidence indicating that Staphylococcal aureus (S. aureus) is associated with the formation of nasal polyps, but the mechanism has not been well documented to date.

Overproduction of cyclin D1 is dependent on activated mTORC1 signal in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: implication for therapy.

Activated mTOR was implicated to play a role in the carcinogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, the mechanism of activated mTOR/Complex1(mTORC1) signaling pathway in NPC development has not been well established. In this study, we correlated the expression of mTORC1 signal molecules and Cyclin D1 in NPC.

Expression of T-cell immunoglobulin- and mucin-domain-containing molecule-1 (TIM-1) is increased in a mouse model of asthma and relationship to GATA-3.

It has been suggested that T-cell immunoglobulin-and mucin-domain-containing molecule-1 (TIM-1) plays an important role in the development of allergic asthma, though its molecular mechanism remains unclear. Our aim was to examine the expression of TIM-1 and Th2-associated transcription factor GATA-3 in asthmatic mice, and to evaluate the correlation of TIM-1 and GATA-3 in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. We examined TIM-1 expression in lung tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of asthmatic mice by real-time PCR and flow cytometry, respectively; we also investigated TIM-1 and GATA-3 expression in the spleen tissue of asthmatic mice by western blot.

Possible role of transforming growth factor beta and interleukin-4 in the up-regulation of CLC-2 and CLC-3 in chronic rhinosinusitis.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) may cover different disease entities, and the pathogenic mechanism remains unclear.

Methods: The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of chloride channel protein CLC-2 and CLC-3 in CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) and evaluate the roles of interleukin (IL)-4 and transforming growth factor (TGF) beta in the up-regulation of CLC-2 and CLC-3. We detected expression of CLC-2 and CLC-3 in 17 patients with CRSsNP by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and we examined the concentration of TGF-beta, IL-4, IL-5, and interferon (IFN) gamma in ethmoid sinus mucosa by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

A possible role of CD4+CD25+ T cells as well as transcription factor Foxp3 in the dysregulation of allergic rhinitis.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a Th2 predominant disease, and its pathogenic mechanism is still poorly understood. CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells account for approximately 5% to 10% peripheral CD4(+) T cells and has been shown to regulate the activation of effector T cells in the periphery. The activity of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells is associated with the transcription factor Foxp3.