Superantigens in polyp tissue of patients with chronic rhino-sinusitis, a comparative study: a brief report

Background: Staphylococcus aureus secretes numerous superantigenes which trigger the inflammatory mechanisms of sinus mucosa and cause chronic rhino-sinusitis. This study was designed to evaluate the role of staphylococcus aureus superantigens in polyp tissues of patients with chronic rhino-sinusitis in comparison with a control group.Methods: Polyp tissue samples of 28 patients and mucosal specimens of 19 healthy individuals were evaluated for staphylococcus aureus bacterium superantigens, exotoxins A, B, C and D and TSST-1 with RT-PCR and ELISA methods Rasoul Akram Hospital during 2 years.Results: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results revealed that 88.2% of the patients and 45.5% of the controls had at least one type of superantigen (P=0.03). Evaluation of superantigens using ELISA method showed presence of at least one type of superantigen in the nasal samples of all patients and in 35.3% of the controls (P<0.001).Conclusion: A relationship between staphylococcal superantigens and nasal polyps is concluded from this study which indicates the probable role of these superantigens in the pathogenesis of nasal polyposis

Inflammatory cytokine detection in adenotonsill and peripheral blood mononuclear cells- culture in adenotonsillectomy patients: a comparative study

Background: Tonsils and adenoid hypertrophy is a major respiratory symptom in children which is partly due to recruitment of inflammatory cells in upper airway lymph nodes as a result of the effects of synthesis and release of different inflammatory cytokines. It seems that infections play role in concert with these cytokines leading to tonsilar hypertrophy and other pathologic consequences. It is proposed that cellular infiltrate of tonsils and adenoids may secrete different quantities of these cytokines compared with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cultures.Methods: Among patients who were admitted for adenotonsillectomy to the ENT ward, 37 patients, under 1-12 years old patients with fulfill criteria selected to include the study. Excised adenoid and tonsils cultured and inflammatory cytokines Interferon-&gamma; (INF-&gamma;), Interlukine-1 (IL-1), IL-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-&alpha; (TNF-&alpha;) measured in cellular culture supernatant. The same cytokines measured in PBMC cultures.Results: The data shows that there is a significant difference between IFN-&gamma; and IL-8 amounts in adenoid tissue culture supernatant and PBMC culture of our patients. Furth-ermore, the amounts of IFN-&gamma;, IL-1 and IL-8 showed considerable difference between tonsilar tissue culture supernatant and PBMC culture of these patients. Although there is a significant correlation between IL-6 amounts in tissue culture supernatant and PBMC culture (P=0.02), the respective data for TNF is only almost significant.Conclusion: Inflammatory cytokines may have significant role in the early provoke of inflammation occurred in hypertrophied tonsils and adenoid. The majority of these cyt-okines increase the expression of adhesion molecules on epithelial cells and influence the recruitment of leucocytes and inflamed tonsils. On the other hand lack of sufficient cytokine release may lead to persistent infections and may cause chronic inflammation and hypertrophied tissue