Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  1999 Nov;42(11):1385-1391.

Expression of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator in Nasal Polyps

• Kim ST
• Hwang YJ
• Jung HH
• Hwang SJ

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. Nasal polyps are also prominent features of cystic fibrosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the CFTR expression and CF mutation genes in nasal polyps to verify genetic influence in the nasal polyp formation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We have evaluated 30 nasal polyps, 10 recurrent nasal polyps, and 10 inferior turbinates. RT-PCR was done for the CFTR mRNA expression and mutaion genes were studied by RFLP. Immunohistochemical study and western blotting were done for CFTR expression.
RESULTS
RT-PCR revealed no differences in the expressions of CFTR transcripts between nasal polyps and nasal turbinates. The expression of CFTR protein was localized on apical portion of some ciliated cells on immunohistochemistry, and western blotting showed no differences in expression levels of CFTR protein. Three different mutations (deltaF508, 591 del 18, G551D) were analysed. One case of deltaF508 was detected in the samples.
CONCLUSIONS
The expression levels of CFTR mRNA and CFTR protein may not be associated with the pathogenesis of nasal polyps, but it needs to be studied further on the physiological base. We also need to study further regarding the relation between CFTR mutaion genes and the development of nasal polyps with more mutaional screenings in cDNA levels.

Keyword

Nasal polyp; Cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator(CFTR); Mutation gene

MeSH Terms

Blotting, Western
Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator
Cystic Fibrosis*
DNA, Complementary
Immunohistochemistry
Mass Screening
Nasal Polyps*
Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
RNA, Messenger
Turbinates
Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator
DNA, Complementary
RNA, Messenger