CYTOKINE PROFILE IN VARIOUS TYPES OF RHIN OSINUSITIS

Background: Inflammatory sinus diseases include acute sinusitis, chron ic purulent sinusitis, and chronic polypoid rhinosinusitis. We investi gated the cytokine profile of different types of rhinosinusitis in ord er to evaluate whether a distinct form of rhinosinusitis is associated with the expression of a specific cytokine profile. Methods and Patie nts: Fresh sinus mucosa obtained during routine surgery from patients with acute sinusitis (n = 10), chronic sinusitis (n = 7), antrochoanal polyp (n = 10), nasal polyps (n = 8), and controls of turbinate mucos a (n = 7) were homogenized. The cytokine protein content (IL-1 beta, I L-3, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, GM-CSF) of tissue homogenates was measured usin g ELISA technique. Results: In the group of proinflammatory cytokines, the protein levels measured for interleukin IL-8, a proinflammatory c ytokine, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 were elevated in acute sinusitis. In the group of eosinophil-activating cytokines interleukin-3, -5 and granulo cyte an makrophage-colony stimulating factor, we measured a significan tly elevated protein level of IL-5 in nasal polyp tissue in contrast t o significantly elevated IL-3 protein level in chronic sinusitis. Conc lusions: These findings suggest that IL-8 plays a pivotal role in neut rophil-dominated and IL-5 in eosinophil-dominated sinusitis. IL-3 seem s to sustain chronic inflammation.