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Dynamics of COX-2 in nasal mucosa and nasal polyps from aspirin-tolerant and aspirin-intolerant patients with asthma

2004; Elsevier BV; Volume: 114; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.jaci.2004.07.050

1097-6825

Laura Pujols, Joaquim Mullol, Isam Alobid, Jordi Roca‐Ferrer, Antoni Xaubet, César Picado,

Asthma and respiratory diseases

BackgroundOnly dynamic studies can elucidate the discrepancies concerning the expression of the inducible COX-2 gene in inflammatory airway diseases.ObjectivesTo quantify the expression and spontaneous regulation of COX-1 and COX-2 mRNAs in nasal polyps and nasal mucosa by real-time PCR.MethodsNasal polyps were obtained from 16 aspirin-tolerant patients with asthma/rhinitis (ATAR) and 18 aspirin-intolerant patients with asthma/rhinitis (AIAR) undergoing nasal polypectomy. Nasal mucosa was obtained from 12 subjects undergoing nasal corrective surgery. All specimens were cut into 3 pieces. One was immediately snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen, and the remaining 2 were left at room temperature for 30 or 60 minutes before freezing. Data are presented as medians and 25th to 75th percentiles of 106 cDNA molecules/μg total RNA.ResultsBaseline COX-2 mRNA levels were significantly lower in both ATAR (0.45; 0.13-1.20; P < .05) and AIAR (0.24; 0.12-0.41; P < .001) nasal polyps than in nasal mucosa (1.35; 0.52-3.90). COX-2 mRNA expression did not change over time in nasal mucosa but increased significantly in ATAR nasal polyps (P < .05), reaching similar levels to nasal mucosa after 60 minutes. In contrast, COX-2 mRNA showed no significant change over time in AIAR nasal polyps. COX-1 mRNA was higher in nasal polyps than in nasal mucosa, and its expression was not modified over time in any group of patients.ConclusionThese results suggest differential kinetics of COX-2 mRNA between nasal mucosa and nasal polyps. AIAR nasal polyps appear to have a greater abnormality of the COX-2 pathway than ATAR.