Objective: To clarify the relationship between the expression of alpha- and beta-isoform of corticosteroid receptors (CS) in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and response to corticosteroid in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR).
Methods: Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of CS-alpha, beta in PBMC in patients with AR and to observe the different responses to corticosteroid in controls. Immunocytochemical assay was used to detect the expression of protein of CS-alpha and CS-beta.
Results: 1) The expression of CS-alpha mRNA was detected in the sensitive group and the resistant group of patients with AR and the controls with CS-alpha/GAPDH mRNA (x +/- s) 1.15 +/- 0.75, 1.63 +/- 0.78, 1.27 +/- 0.51 respectively. 2) The expression of CS-beta mRNA in PBMC in the resistant group of patients with AR was significantly higher than that in the sensitive group and the controls (P < 0.05), with CS-beta/GAPDH mRNA 1.42 +/- 0.73, 0.82 +/- 0.59, 0.80 +/- 0.68 respectively. 3) The number of CS-beta-positive PBMC in the resistant group was significantly higher than that in the sensitive group and the controls (P < 0.01), with the number of CS-beta-positive PBMC 28.8% +/- 9. 9%, 5.9% +/- 3.2%, 5.5% +/- 6.8% respectively.
Conclusions: It is shown that the excessive expression of CS-beta may serve as a novel predictor of corticosteroid resistance in patients with AR.