A microarray study of gene expression profiles in nasal polyps

Abstract Objective Nasal polyposis (NP) is a multifactorial disease manifesting in chronic inflammation of upper respiratory tract of unknown etiology. We studied mRNA gene expression profiles in NP compared with normal mucosa as well as pointed at genes characteristic of different expression in examined tissues. Material and methods Fifty-three patients with NP (36 eosinophilic and 17 neutrophilic NP) were included into the study. Transcriptional activity of genes was analyzed using oligonucleotide microarray in 17 NP and 8 cases of normal nasal mucosa. A study of mRNA expression of selected genes was performed using QRT-PCR. Results We identified 556 genes, which were differentially expressed between the studied and the control group. Among them 217 showed significantly higher expression, whereas 339 lower expression in NP than in controls. The microarray and QRT-PCR results were compatible for 7 of 8 evaluated genes. In NP strongly significant higher transcriptional activity of MMP10, NOS2A, ALOX15 and IL-8 genes was observed. In the control group, significantly higher expression of DMBT1, ALOX12 and LTF genes was detected. Conclusion The analysis of gene expression in inflammatory changed nasal polyp tissues may become a supplementary method in diagnostics and treatment. Molecular alterations may indicate changes during the clinical course of the disease.