Analysis of proteoglycan gene messages in human nasal mucosa and nasal polyp casing dot blot hybridization

It has been suggested that the formation and growth of nasal polyp require the remodeling of extracellular matrix. Proteoglycans (PGs) are major compo nents of the extracellular matrix that maintain the integrity of structural tissue. The leucine-rich repeat PGs include lumican, decorin and biglycan and have many important biologic activities in various pathologic condition s, including the remodeling of the extracellular matrix. Therefore, these s mall-PG families may be involved in the formation and growth of nasal polyp . In the present study, surgical specimens of nasal polyps and nasal mucosa were assessed for expression of mRNA coding for lumican, decorin and bigly can using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction followed by dot b lot hybridization. Lumican, decorin and biglycan mRNA were expressed in all tissue samples examined. Semiquantitative dot blot hybridization revealed that the levels of the lumican and biglycan messages are lower in nasal pol yp tissues than in nasal mucosa. The decorin messages in nasal polyp were e xpressed at levels similar to those in nasal mucosa. These results suggest that lumican, decorin and biglycan may be important components of the extra cellular matrix in nasal mucosa. Considering the function of these PGs, nor mal levels of decorin associated with low levels of biglycan and lumican ma y play a rule in the pathogenesis of nasal polyposis.