Objective: To study the concentration and expression of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8 in human nasal polyps tissues, and to explore the relationship between cytokines and the formative mechanism of nasal polyps.
Method: The concentration and expression of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8 in 54 cases with nasal polyps were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry, and the middle turbinate mucosa from 22 patients with the deviation of nasal septum were used as the control.
Result: The concentration of IL-5, IL-8 in nasal polyps tissues were significantly higher than that in normal middle turbinate mucosa (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between the concentration of IL-6 in nasal polyps and that in normal control group (P > 0.05). No significant difference was found between the concentration of IL-4 in nasal polyps tissues with negative allergic skin test and that in control group, but the concentration of IL-4 was significantly higher in nasal polyps tissues with positive allergic skin test than in control group (P < 0.05). IL-4 was mostly found in lymphocytes and plasma cells in nasal polyps and IL-5 in eosinophils and lymphocytes. IL-6 and IL-8 were mostly found in nasal polyps epithelium and inflammatory cells, as was no difference between positive allergic skin test and negative one.
Conclusion: IL-5 and IL-8 are the key cytokines in the formation of nasal polyps, and IL-4 is a key cytokine in nasal polyps with positive allergic skin test. IL-6 isn't an important cytokine in the formative mechanism of nasal polyps.