Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor in normal, allergic and virus induced nasal secretions

Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) and alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha-1-PI), both inhibitors of granulocyte elastase, were studied in nasal secretions from healthy persons and from patients with allergic rhinitis and common cold. SLPI and granulocyte elastase were found in all samples, while alpha-1-PI was lacking in several. In all three groups SLPI was found in an active form and in excess of granulocyte elastase, which thus was completely inhibited. The results indicate that SLPI is the main inhibitor in nasal secretions and that alpha-1-PI plays a minor role.     

Basophilic cells in allergic nasal secretions

Summary Evidences on the important role of tissue mast cells in inducing allergy have accumulated. These cells are known to be present in nasal secretion but have not been well studied. In the present study basophilic cells containing granules which stained metachromatically appeared in the nasal secretion in various kinds of inhalant allergy. An increase in their number was observed after nasal provocation and during the pollinosis season and showed a decrease after a course of immunotherapy or during the off-season of pollinosis. They were well correlated in degree with nasal symptoms, nasal eosinophilia, and nasal provocative reactions. These results suggest that the appearance of the basophilic cell in nasal secretion is related to their specifity in nasal allergy. The possibility of onset of nasal allergy due to the release of chemical mediators from basophilic cells in nasal secretion was discussed.     

Electron microscope study of basophilic cells in allergic nasal secretions

Summary In order to elucidate whether basophilic cells in nasal secretion belong to blood basophil or tissue mast cell, basophilic cells in the blood, nasal secretion, and nasal mucous membrane were electron microscopically observed in patients with house dust nasal allergy. The majority of basophilic cells in the nasal secretion was identical with the blood basophil in structure. The blood basophils pass through the vessels and emigrate in the mucous blanket in allergy.     

The role of nasal secretions in allergic disease of the nose

Summary Findings in recent years have stressed the importance of research on the target organ in IgE-mediated allergies of the respiratory tract. In this review we have focussed on the nasal secretions (NS) as a contract medium between allergens and the respiratory mucosa. Our findings have demonstrated that NS show different allergen extraction activities in relation to different conditions. Whereas NS of allergic and inflamed noses extracted allergens very rapidly, NS of normal noses showed no extraction activity. Furthermore, it could be demonstrated that the IgE specificities in NS are comparable with those in the serum of individual patients not indicating a local IgE synthesis. The presence and function of basophilic cells and eosinophils and their mediators are discussed in the light of recent studies.     

The role of nasal secretions in allergic disease of the nose

Findings in recent years have stressed the importance of research on the target organ in IgE-mediated allergies of the respiratory tract. In this review we have focussed on the nasal secretions (NS) as a contract medium between allergens and the respiratory mucosa. Our findings have demonstrated that NS show different allergen extraction activities in relation to different conditions. Whereas NS of allergic and inflamed noses extracted allergens very rapidly, NS of normal noses showed no extraction activity. Furthermore, it could be demonstrated that the IgE specificities in NS are comparable with those in the serum of individual patients not indicating a local IgE synthesis. The presence and function of basophilic cells and eosinophils and their mediators are discussed in the light of recent studies.     

Proteolytic activity and serum protease inhibitors in nasal secretions from adult patients with common colds

Proteolytic activity and concentrations of serum protease inhibitors were measured in nasal secretions collected from 14 adult patients (6 males and 8 females) with common colds. Elastase concentration and fibrinolytic activity increased about three days after the onset of the colds, and there was a significant correlation between both values (p less than 0.01). Trypsin-like protease activity was very low. Of all serum protease inhibitors, inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor could not be detected, and alpha 2-macroglobulin could be detected in only two cases. Variation of alpha 1-antitrypsin value was very similar to that of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, and there was a significant correlation between alpha 1-antitrypsin and elastase (p less than 0.001). Phoretic patterns of crossed immuneelectrophoresis revealed the presence of alpha 1-antitrypsin-protease complex. alpha-protease inhibitors are major serum protease inhibitors in nasal secretions of persons with colds, and inhibit excess proteolytic activity of serine proteases. This protection is considered to be one of the major factors in preventing irreversible mucosal change.     

Cyclic nucleotide levels of nasal secretions in allergic patients and control subjects

Cyclic nucleotides (CND) levels of nasal secretions were studied in allergic rhinitis patients and control subjects. In methacholine-induced nasal secretion, allergic rhinitis patients had lower cAMP levels, higher cGMP levels and a lower cAMP/cGMP ratio than the control subjects. A close relationship was found between CND levels and the severity of daily symptoms in both methacholine-induced and antigen-induced nasal secretions.     

Immunoglobulins in nasal secretions of patients with allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis

Allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis are the most frequently encountered inflammatory reactions of the sinonasal mucosa. Nasal-associated lymphoid tissue has been suggested as an inductive site for humoral and cellular immune responses in the upper respiratory tract. Immunoglobulins are important elements in human adaptive immune responses and deficiencies of serum immunoglobulins may be associated with recurrent or refractory infections. However, the local humoral immune response to offending antigens in the nasal environment has not been well elucidated. To determine the levels of IgA and IgG subclasses antibodies in the nasal secretions of patients with allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis, 25 patients with allergic rhinitis and 20 with chronic rhinosinusitis were included and their nasal secretions were collected to measure the levels of secretary IgA (sIgA), total IgA (tIgA), and IgG subclasses antibodies. There was a significant elevation of IgG₃ in the nasal secretions of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. No difference was noted in the levels of sIgA, tIgA, IgG₁, IgG₂ and IgG₄ among the three groups. The local defense mechanism of nose reacts to microorganisms and pathogenic antigens by inducing the adaptive humoral immune response to increase the amount of immunoglobulins, with IgG₃ being the major up-regulated antibody.     

Eosinophil cationic protein in the nasal secretions of patients with mite allergic rhinitis

In 25 patients with mite nasal allergy and 13 healthy control subjects, levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and histamine in nasal secretions were examined before and after challenge with mite extract. The ECP level was found to be significantly higher in the washings taken 30 minutes after challenge compared with the washings taken before challenge (P<.05). ECP levels measured both before and after mite extract challenge were found to be significantly higher in the patients than in the controls (P <.01). These facts suggest that the ECP affects the nasal mucosa by causing injury to ciliated cells and by acceleration of the processes of modification and inhibition of the allergic reaction.     

变应性鼻炎鼻分泌物中上皮细胞集落和嗜酸粒细胞的检测

为了观察变应性鼻炎（allesgicrhinitis，AR）患者鼻分泌物中的上皮细胞集落和嗜酸粒细胞，对20例AR患者（AR组）和15例鼻窦炎患者（感染组）鼻分泌物中细胞成分进行了电镜观察，发现AR组鼻分泌物中有大量上皮细胞集落，其特征是数个至数十个上皮细胞成片状脱落，上皮细胞集落的数量和嗜酸粒细胞的数量、嗜酸粒细胞阳离子蛋白（eosinophiliccationicprotein，ECP）的含量呈正相关。感染组中上皮细胞集落和嗜酸粒细胞极少，ECP含量甚微。结果提示嗜酸粒细胞的ECP可能导致AR患者的鼻粘膜上皮呈片状脱落，对上皮结构造成损害。     

A technique for quantitative cytology of nasal secretions

Summary To quantitatively analyze cellular elements in mucopurulent nasal secretions from patients with chronic paranasal sinusitis, we studied five mucus-liquefying agents — dithiothreitol (DTT), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tetrasodium salt, propylene glycol, serratio peptidase and urea — with Hanks' balanced salt solution used as a control. Agents were compared for the number of cells, the mucus-liquefying effect and the staining characteristic of cells in cytocentrifuge-prepared smears. The results indicated that the treatment of nasal secretions with 10 mM DTT provides more clear and detailed cytological preparations for quantitative cytology of nasal secretions.     

倍氯米松对变应性鼻炎鼻分泌物中嗜酸粒细胞的作用

为探讨倍氯米松对变应性鼻炎鼻分泌物中嗜酸粒细胞的作用，使用激光共聚焦显微镜扫描和荣光技术，观察变应性鼻炎患者鼻分泌物中嗜酸粒细胞经倍氯米松处理后的形态变化。扫描图像分析显示，倍氯米松处理后，嗜酸粒细胞内RNA的荧光强度明显减弱。提示倍氯米松的抗炎作用是通过调控细胞内DNA转录形成RNA，使蛋白质合成降低，细胞分泌与释放物质的作用减弱，进而使鼻部炎症缓解来实现的。     

Cytolysis of eosinophils in nasal secretions

It is still unknown how eosinophils degranulate in nasal mucus. Currently, cytolysis is being reevaluated as the mode of degranulation of eosinophils in allergic nasal mucosa. To examine whether eosinophils migrating to the nasal mucus degranulate by cytolysis, we sampled nasal mucus from 9 patients with nasal allergy and observed it under electron and light microscopes. Both intact and necrotic eosinophils were observed in the nasal mucus. Although the total eosinophil count in the nasal mucus was not correlated with the frequency of sneezes, there was a significant correlation (p = .0025) between the rate of eosinophil lysis and the frequency of sneezes. Whereas extracellular release of eosinophil peroxidase was not detected from the eosinophils with intact cell membranes, large quantities of eosinophil peroxidase were found outside the eosinophils with injured cell membranes. We concluded that eosinophils migrating to the nasal mucus degranulate mainly by cytolysis, and that granular proteins released from the necrotic eosinophils into the nasal mucus are one of the important factors causing hypersensitivity in the nasal mucosa.     

变应性鼻炎鼻分泌物嗜酸性粒细胞与肺功能相关性研究

目的 研究单纯性变应性鼻炎(AR)患者发作及稳定期鼻分泌物嗜酸性粒细胞(Eos)含量与肺功能的相关性。 方法 选取成年单纯性AR患者102例为AR组,53名健康体检者为对照组,应用肺功能仪及鼻分泌物涂片检测AR组发作期、稳定期及对照组各项肺功能指标和鼻分泌物Eos计数。 结果 对照组及AR患者发作期、稳定期检测的鼻腔分泌物Eos计数及肺功能指标PEF、MEF₇₅、FEV₁均存在差异,差异有统计学意义(P<0.001);AR患者发作期、稳定期鼻分泌物Eos计数与自身PEF,FEV₁,MEF₇₅具有相关性,其中与FEV₁呈显著相关(r=-0.53,P<0.001)。 结论 AR患者鼻腔分泌物Eos计数与肺功能关系密切,大部分AR患者存在着不同程度的基础肺功能损害,且随着气道变态反应加重,肺功能下降明显。     

倍氯米松对变应性鼻炎鼻分泌物中多种炎性活细胞的作用

目的 :探讨倍氯米松对变应性鼻炎鼻分泌物中多种炎性活细胞的作用机制。方法 :采用激光共聚焦显微镜扫描和荧光技术 ,观察变应性鼻炎鼻分泌物中嗜酸性粒细胞、中性粒细胞和淋巴细胞经倍氯米松处理后细胞内的形态变化。结果 :经倍氯米松处理后 ,嗜酸性粒细胞、中性粒细胞组细胞内RNA的荧光染色均减弱 ,RNA/DNA比值均变小 ,嗜酸性粒细胞组差异具有非常显著性意义 (P <0 .0 0 1) ;中性粒细胞组差异具有显著性意义 (P <0 .0 1) ;淋巴细胞组差异无显著性意义 (P >0 .0 5 )。结论 :倍氯米松能够明显地减少嗜酸性粒细胞和中性粒细胞细胞内RNA的含量 ,即减少细胞内RNA的合成和 (或 )促进RNA的降解 ;不直接影响淋巴细胞内的RNA代谢。     

Localisation of heme oxygenase isoforms in allergic human nasal mucosa

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an endogenously produced gas mediator produced by heme oxygenase (HO). Like nitric oxide (NO), CO is produced in the nasal mucosa. Given that induced NO synthase (iNOS) expression in nasal mucosa has been found to be up-regulated in allergic rhinitis, the current study investigated the expression of HO isoforms in allergic human nasal mucosa. Immunohistochemical staining for type 1 and 2 HO isoforms were carried out in nasal inferior turbinate mucosa from six patients with persistent allergic rhinitis, and compared with six control patients without nasal allergy. Focal and weak expression of HO-1 was observed in seromucous glands, with no difference between allergic and control specimens. Vascular endothelium, erythrocytes, smooth muscle and inflammatory cells (except macrophages) in the allergic group exhibited stronger HO-1 immunoreactivity compared to the control. Minimal expression was found in the respiratory epithelium in either group. Intravascular HO-1 expression was found in the allergic mucosa only. Intense HO-2 immunoreactivity was observed in the respiratory epithelium, vascular endothelium and seromucous glands in both allergic and control groups with no differences in intensity. In conclusion, unlike iNOS, HO-1 is minimally expressed in the nasal respiratory epithelium of either group. However, our findings suggest that it may be involved in the inflammatory process of allergic rhinitis at the submucosal level.