Objective: To detect the expression and correlation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) in nasal polyps co-cultured with clarithromycin, and to investigate their roles in CRS pathogenesis.
Method: Nasal polyps from 11 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) were cultured for 24 hours with different doses of clarithromycin (0, 10(-6), 10(-5), 10(-4) mol/L). Western blot and real time fluorescence quantitative PCR were performed to detect the expressions of COX-2 and NF-kappaB subunits.
Result: The expression levels of COX-2, NF-kappaBp50 and NF-kappaBp65 were most high in control groups (0 mol/L clarithromycin). The expressions of COX-2, NF-kappaBp50 and NF-kappaBp65 were dose-dependently attenuated as the concentrations of clarithromycin increased. Significantly positive correlation between RNA expressions of COX-2 and NF-kappaB subunits in each CRS group was confirmed by Pearson correlation treatment (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The increased expression of COX-2 is involved in the inflammation in CRS. It indicate that clarithromycin may play an anti-inflammatory effect on CRS by decreasing the synthesis of COX-2 through blocking NF-kappaB pathway.