Objective: To compare protein expression in nasal polyps, chronic sinusitis, and normal nasal mucosa tissues using proteomic technology.
Design: Cross-sectional survey.
Subjects and methods: Proteins extracted from the three kinds of tissues (seven samples per group) were separated by immobilized pH4-7 gradient two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). PDQuest software was used to analyze 2-DE images, and the differentially expressed protein spots were identified with the use of both MALDI-TOF-MS and ESI-Q-TOF-MS. Of the differentially expressed proteins, Cu/ZnSOD and PLUNC were validated with the use of immunohistochemical tests.
Results: High-resolution, reproducible 2-DE patterns were obtained, and 30 differentially expressed protein spots were found. The intensity of Cu/ZnSOD and PLUNC differed significantly on immunohistochemical validation.
Conclusion: These differentially expressed proteins are involved in airway inflammatory reaction, immune response, oxidative stress, and metabolic reaction after exposure to irritants. In the future, several of these proteins may prove useful for exploring the pathogenesis of nasal polyps and chronic sinusitis or as objective biomarkers for quantitatively monitoring disease progression or response to therapy.