Abstract:Objective To investigate the differences of expression levels of NLRP3 inflammasome and relative proinflammatory factors in eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic chronic sinusitis with nasal polyp (CRSwNP), and further analyze the relationship between NLRP3 and prognosis of non-eosinophilic chronic sinusitis with nasal polyp (non-eosCRSwNP).Methods Mucosa tissues of inferior turbinate from 18 patients with deviated septum and nasal polyp tissues from 44 patients with CRSwNP were collected during nasal endoscopic surgery. The patients with CRSwNP were divided into eosinophilic CRSwNP (eosCRSwNP) group (n=22) and non-eosCRSWNP (n=22) by tissue HE staining. The mRNA levels of NLRP3 inflammasome and IL-1β were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The protein expression of NLRP3 was observed by immunohistochemistry. Preoperative visual analog score (VAS), Land-Mackay score, Lund-Kennedy score, and postoperative follow-up information of all the CRSwNP patients were collected.Results Immunohistochemical results showed that NLRP3 protein was expressed in both non-eosCRSwNP and eosCRSwNP, with higher staining degree than that of the control group (P<0.05). RT-PCR revealed elevated mRNA levels of both NLRP3 and IL-1β in non-eosCRSwNP (P<0.05). In particular, the level of immunohistochemical NLRP3 expression in recurrent non-eoscRSWNP was positively correlated with preoperative VAS score, Land-Mackay score and Lund-Kennedy score (P<0.05).Conclusions NLRP3 inflammasome and pro-inflammatory factor IL-1β are significantly expressed in non-eosCRSwNP, and there is a positive correlation between NLRP3 expression and the severity of clinical symptoms and signs. Therefore, NLRP3 inflammasome has potential clinical value in predicting recurrence of non-eosCRSwNP.
