Comparison of Inflammatory Cell Profile and Th2 Cytokine Expression in the Ethmoid Sinuses, Maxillary Sinuses, and Turbinates of Atopic Subjects with Chronic Sinusitis

Abstract

Chronic sinusitis is a common disease characterized by persistent inflammation of the sinus mucosa. This study was undertaken to investigate immunopathologic findings in biopsy specimens from the ethmoid sinuses, maxillary sinuses, and inferior nasal turbinates of 14 allergic subjects with chronic sinusitis. The composition of the inflammatory infiltrate in the three tissue sites was examined by immunocytochemistry with anti-CD3 (total T cells), anti-CD4 (helper T cells), anti-CD8 (suppressor T cells), anti-MBP (eosinophils), antitryptase (mast cells), and antichymase (mast cells) antibodies. These revealed a significant increase in the T-cell helper/suppressor ratio and eosinophils in the ethmoid sinus mucosa compared with those in the maxillary sinus mucosa and the inferior turbinate. Eosinophil numbers were also higher in the maxillary sinus than in the inferior turbinate. Mast cells were present in significantly higher numbers in the ethmoid sinus and inferior turbinate biopsy sections than in the maxillary sinus. With antisense, radiolabeled riboprobes, we used in situ hybridization to examine the expression of interleukin-4 and interleukin-5 transcripts. The density of cells expressing interleukin-4 transcripts was significantly higher in the inferior turbinate biopsy sections than in those from the ethmoid and maxillary sinuses. In addition, the number of interleukin-4 mRNA—positive cells was higher in the ethmoid than in the maxillary sinus mucosa. The density of interleukin-5 mRNA—positive cells was significantly higher in the ethmoid and maxillary sinuses than in the inferior turbinate. The results of this study indicate (1) a more intense inflammatory response in the ethmoid sinus than in the maxillary sinus and inferior turbinate in allergic chronic sinusitis and (2) different inflammatory responses in the upper airways that are dependent on the anatomic site. These findings have potential implications in the design of new therapeutic interventions for allergic chronic sinusitis. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1998;118:804–9.)