Expression Of T-lymphocytes Subsets And Th1/Th2 Cytokines Of IL-4 And IFN-γ In Human Nasal Polyps

Objective: To study Immune status, activated level and the characteristic of Thl/Th2 of T lymphocytes infiltrating nasal polyps by analyzing the expression of surface markers and cytokines secretion. By this research, possible helps for searching the pathogenesis and clinical treatment were hoped to be offered.Methods: Nasal polyps tissue samples and peripheral blood were obtained from 21 patients, normal human's inferior turbinate mucosa and peripheral blood were obtained as well. Flow cytometry was adopted to detect the expression of surface markers (CD3,CD4,CD8,CD69) and production of Th cytokines (IL-4,IFN- y ). Results:(1) Nasal polyps tissue consisted of abundant T lymphocytes. The expression percentage of CD3+CD4+ cells [(65.455 ± 1.142)%] was significantly higher than that of CDS +CD8+ cells [(34.545 + 1.142)%], ratio of CD3+CD4+/CD3+CD8+ was 1.956+0.093. Activation marker CD69 was expressed in T lymphocytes of nasal polyps [(36.956 ± 2.495)%] andperipheral blood [(4.664 ±0.1 76)%] from the same patient, especially in nasal polyps (P <0.05). While it was rarely detected in inferior turbinate and peripheral blood from normal human.(2) Th cytokines were rarely detected in inferior turbinate from normal human. The expression of IL-4 and IFN- y increased in peripheral blood from patients [(6.686±0.204)%,(64.312± 1.611)% respectively] compared with normal human [(0.560 + 0.05 1)%,(0.246± 0.020)% respectively] (P <0.05). The expression of IL-4 [13.606 ±0.644]%] increased but the expression of IFN- y [(32.938 ± 2.477)%] decreased in nasal polyps compared with that of peripheral blood from the same patient (P <0.05). Conclusion: There was generous of T lymphocytes infiltrating in nasal polyps. The expression of CD69 in T lymphocytes was abnormal high, which indicated that there were disorder of immunological function and abnormal immunological activity in the local area. The mixed Thl/Th2 cytokines pattern was found in nasal polyps and the predomination of Th cytokines secretion changed compared with peripheral blood from the same patient, which were possibly related to the establishment of the microenvironment and the mucosal immune system.