Apoptosis mediated through the Fas/Fas-L system is essential in regulating
immune function, developing organs, and conferring immune privilege. To ill
ustrate the role of the Fas/Fas-L system in the pathogenesis of human nasal
polyps, we investigated the transcripts and protein level of the Fas-L gen
e in 8 human nasal polyp tissues and 7 nasal turbinate mucosa specimens usi
ng reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Lo
calization of Fas-L was performed with immunohistochemistry. The transcript
s of the Fas-L gene were detected at similar levels in both polyps and nasa
l mucosa. There was a significant overexpression of Fas-L protein on nasal
polyps compared to nasal mucosa. Fas-L-positive cells were localized on the
epithelial layers of cystically dilated glands and the down-growing epithe
lium of nasal polyps. Fas-L may play an important role in the pathogenesis
of human nasal polyps, including cystic degeneration of submucosal glands a
nd conferring of immune privilege to nasal polyp formation.