Objective: To explore the expression of YKL-40, TLR4 and NF-κB in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with or without nasal polyps (CRSwNP and CRSsNP), and to investigate their expressional correlation and the potential role in pathogenesis of CRS.
Methods: The specimens were obtained from sinus mucosa and inferior turbinate mucosa of the patients with informed consent. The different expression of YKL-40, TLR4 and NF-κB among each group was detected by real time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (S-P method). SPSS 17.0 software was used to analyze the data.
Results: mRNA level: The relative expression of YKL-40 in CRSwNP group (0.91±0.17) was higher than those in the control group (0.49±0.09), the difference was significant (t=2.12, P<0.05). The relative expression of TLR4 in CRSsNP group (0.88±0.19) and CRSwNP group (0.67±0.13) were lower than those in control group (1.48±0.14), the differences were significant (t value was -4.11, -2.48, all P<0.05). The relative expression of NF-κB in CRSsNP group (0.69±0.13) and CRSwNP group (0.72±0.14) were lower than those in control group (1.20±0.15), the differences were significant (t value was 2.33, 2.27, all P<0.05). Protein level: The expression of YKL-40 in CRSwNP group was stronger than that in CRSsNP group and control group (U value was 72.5 and 73, all P<0.01). The expression of TLR4 in CRSwNP group and CRSsNP group was weaker than that in control group (U value was 62 and 38, all P<0.01). There was a negative correlation between YKL-40 and TLR4 (rmRNA=-0.741, P<0.01; rprotein=-0.46, P<0.05) in CRSwNP group.
Conclusions: The expression of YKL-40 in pantients with CRSwNP is higher than those in healthy control and CRSsNP patients. There was a negative correlation between YKL-40 and TLR4. Both of them may be involved in the pathogenesis of CRSwNP.