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Expression and localization of steroid receptors in human nasal mucosa

2004; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 124; Issue: 8 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/00016480310017063

1651-2251

Hideaki Shirasaki, Kazumasa Watanabe, Etsukó Kanaizumi, Nobuhiro Konno, Jun Sato, Shin-ichirou Narita, Tetsuo Himi,

Contact Dermatitis and Allergies

To investigate the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and androgen receptor (AR) in nasal mucosa.Human turbinates were obtained after turbinectomy from seven patients. The expression and localization of steroid receptors were examined using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry.Using RT-PCR, GR and ER alpha mRNA were detected in all cases. In contrast, ER beta, PR and AR mRNA were found in five, four and six cases, respectively. Using immunohistochemistry, antibodies to GR showed the presence of GR within all cells of nasal mucosa, with the highest quantities of GR being localized in epithelial cells, submucosal glands and inflammatory leukocytes. Immunohistochemical analysis of sex steroid receptor revealed that anti-ER alpha antibody labelled mainly mast cells and anti-ER beta antibody labelled submucosal glands, and that no PR or AR expression was detected in any of the samples tested.The role of ER in mast cells and submucosal glands has not been well clarified. However, precise knowledge of the identity and distribution of sex steroid receptor should be of considerable interest in understanding the role of sex hormones in upper airway diseases such as allergic and non-allergic rhinitis.