Nasal mucosal expression of nitric oxide synthases in patients with allergic rhinitis and its relation to asthma

• Published in: Annals of allergy, asthma, & immunology Vol. 100; no. 1; pp. 12 - 16
• Main Authors: Yuksel, Hasan, MD, Kirmaz, Cengiz, MD, Yilmaz, Ozge, MD, Pinar, Ercan, MD, Vatansever, Seda, MD, Degirmenci, Papatya Bayrak, MD, Ozbilgin, Kemal, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: McLean, VA Elsevier Inc 2008; American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Allergy and Immunology; Asthma - enzymology; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Medical sciences; Nasal Mucosa - enzymology; Nasal Mucosa - pathology; Nasal Septum - enzymology; Nasal Septum - pathology; Nitric Oxide Synthase - metabolism; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - metabolism; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III - metabolism; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - enzymology; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; Human; Lung disease; Allergy; Immunopathology; Nose disease; Rhinitis; Enzyme; Respiratory disease; Dermatology; Mucosa; Nitric-oxide synthase; Asthma; Immunology; Nose; ENT disease; Bronchus disease; Obstructive pulmonary disease; Oxidoreductases
• ISSN: 1081-1206; 1534-4436
• DOI: 10.1016/S1081-1206(10)60398-5

Background Nitric oxide (NO) has contradictory roles in the pathophysiology of allergic inflammation in both allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma. Small amounts of NO produced by constitutive NO synthase (NOS) is anti-inflammatory, whereas large amounts produced by inducible NOS (iNOS) are proinflammatory. Objective To investigate the difference in constitutive endothelial NOS (eNOS) and iNOS expression in nonallergic and allergic mucosa and the possible relation of this to the coexistence of asthma in seasonal AR. Methods Seventeen patients (10 women and 7 men) with seasonal AR and 9 nonallergic patients (5 women and 4 men) with nasal septum deviation were enrolled. Inferior turbinate nasal biopsy specimens were obtained in all. Levels of eNOS and iNOS expressed as immunohistochemical scores (HSCOREs) were determined immunohistochemically from the specimens. Results The mean ± SD HSCOREs for eNOS in patients with seasonal AR were not significantly different from those of the nonallergic controls (1.85 ± 0.78 vs 1.63 ± 0.54; P = .12). On the other hand, the mean ± SD HSCOREs for iNOS were significantly higher in patients with seasonal AR (1.75 ± 0.75 vs 0.71 ± 0.6; P = .004). Furthermore, although eNOS expression was not different between seasonal AR patients with and without asthma, the mean ± SD HSCOREs for iNOS were significantly higher in the patients with asthma (1.93 ± 0.78 vs 1.65 ± 0.55; P = .01). Conclusion Increased expression of iNOS might have a role in the development of allergic inflammation in upper and lower airways and in comorbidity of AR and asthma.