Objective: To evaluate the level of immunoglobulins and expression of the transcription factors in the adenoids.
Methods: The study population consisted of 30 children with otitis media with effusion (OME), 22 children with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and 27 children with adenoid hyperplasia. IgA, IgG, IgD and IgM concentrations in these three groups were compared immunohistochemically. We also compared the levels of expression of B lymphocyte inducer of maturation program 1 (BLIMP-1), a promoter of plasmacytosis, and B cell leukemia/lymphoma-6 (BCL-6), a repressor of plasmacytosis, in the adenoids of these children.
Results: The expression of antibody to Ig A in the OME and CRS groups each was significantly lower than the score in the adenoid hyperplasia group. The staining scores of antibodies to IgG, IgD and Ig M did not differ significantly among the three groups. The expression of antibody to BLIMP-1 in the CRS and adenoid hyperplasia groups showed a significant difference. Staining scores of Antibody to BCL-6 did not differ significantly among the three groups.
Conclusions: We found that the reduction of IgA in the adenoids was associated with pediatric OME and CRS, and that reduction of expression of the transcription factor BLIMP-1 rather than BCL-6 was associated with CRS.