T-CELL RECEPTOR V-BETA GENE REARRANGEMENTS OF T-LYMPHOCYTES INFILTRATING THE MUCOSA IN CHRONIC SINUSITIS

Lymphocytic infiltration within the mucosa of patients with chronic si nusitis may reflect an in situ immune reaction. An analysis of the T-c ell receptor (TCR) expressed by these lymphocytes may help to understa nd T-cell immunity in chronic sinusitis. We analyzed the TCR V beta ge ne rearrangements in T cells that infiltrated the mucosa of the maxill ary sinuses in 24 patients with chronic sinusitis using the reverse tr anscription polymerase chain reaction method. The analysis of the TCR V beta repertoire revealed a significant limited usage (P < 0.01) of t he V beta gene families, compared with peripheral blood lymphocytes th at expressed all of the gene families in all these patients. The limit ed gene usage of the T cells suggests that bacterial or viral infectio n of the sinus mucosa attracts T cells that specifically respond to th e bacterial or virus-derived antigens.