Background: This study explores effects of budesonide on the proliferation of nasal polyp epithelial cells and expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) alpha in nasal polyp epithelial cells.
Methods: Primary cultured, purified, and identified the epithelial cells collected from nasal polyps. The proliferation of nasal polyp epithelial cells was examined by a cell counting kit, and expression of GR-alpha mRNA in nasal polyp epithelial cells was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, after training nasal polyp epithelial cells in budesonide solution.
Results: The average survival rate of nasal polyp epithelial cells was the lowest in 1 × 10(-6) M budesonide solution (29.284 ± 0.311%), compared with other concentrations. Budesonide at 1 × 10(-8) M caused down-regulation of GR-alpha mRNA expression levels at 6 and 12 ours, compared with the 0-hour group (p < 0.001); compared with the 0-hour group, there were significantly lower expression levels of GR-alpha mRNA at both 24 and 48 hours (p < 0.001); Expression of GR-alpha mRNA at either 48 or 12 hours was not significantly different from that at 24 hours.
Conclusion: Budesonide can significantly inhibit the proliferation of nasal polyp epithelial cells, down-regulate the expression of GR-alpha mRNA in nasal polyp epithelial cells with time dependence.