ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Heat shock protein (HSP) is to be involved in inflammation. HSP may be expressed in allergic rhinitis which is an inflammation disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether overexpression of HSP72 is specific for allergic rhinitis and is correlated with clinical severity of disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied expression of HSP72 by immunohistochemistry using ABC technique on nasal mucosa from 20 patients with allergic rhinitis, 10 patients with chronic hypertrophic rhinitis and 10 patients with normal turbinates. RESULTS: In biopsies from patients with allergic rhinitis, immunopositive cells were observed on epithelium, basement membrane, submucous gland cells, and inflammatory cells. Expression of HSP72 in patients with allergic rhinitis was significantly increased in nasal mucosa (p<0.01) and was significantly correlated with clinical severity of the disease (p<0.01) and eosinophil count (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Inflammation of nasal mucosa in patients with allergic rhinitis may be linked to production of HSP72.