ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to investigate the effects of aging on nasality and the influence of age-related changes in nasal cavity volume and nasal patency on nasality. METHODS: A total of 180 healthy Korean-speaking adult volunteers, who had no nasal or voice-related complaints, were enrolled in this study. Nasometry, acoustic rhinometry, and rhinomanometry were performed to obtain the nasalance score, nasal cavity volume, and nasal resistance, respectively. Changes in these parameters with age were analyzed. RESULTS: Nasal cavity volume increased significantly, and nasal resistance decreased significantly, with age. The nasalance scores for the nasal passage and oronasal passage decreased significantly with age, while there were no age-related changes in nasalance scores for the oral passage. CONCLUSION: Nasalance scores for the passages containing nasal consonants decreased with age although significant increases were observed in nasal cavity volume and nasal patency with age. Therefore, the age-related decreases in nasalance scores may result from factors other than changes in the nasal cavity.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Interleukin (IL)-25 has been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. Nasal polyps are associated with chronic inflammation of the mucous membranes in the paranasal sinuses and are involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of IL-25 on myofibroblast differentiation, ECM production and the expression of matrix metalloproteinases in nasal polyp derived fibroblasts (NPDFs) and to determine the molecular mechanism underlying these processes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 40 patients were enrolled in this study for Immunofluorescence studies. Expression of IL17 receptor B was evaluated by real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in NPDFs. NPDFs were stimulated with IL-25 for 48 h in the presence or absence of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and NF-κB inhibitors or small interfering RNAs (siRNA). The protein levels of fibrosis active mediators were examined using western blotting. Fibroblast migration was evaluated with a scratch assay. The total collagen amount was analyzed with the Sircol collagen assay. RESULTS: IL-25 induced α-SMA, fibronectin, and MMP-1 and -13, which were dependent on IL-17RB. IL-25 also induced activation of NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs). By using the specific inhibitor of ERK, p38, JNK and NF-κB (U, SB, SP and Bay), we found that IL-25-induced expressions of α-SMA, fibronectin, and MMPs was regulated by the signaling pathways of MAPKs and NF-κB. IL-25 also induces α-SMA, fibronectin, and MMPs expression through IL-17RB-dependent pathways in NPDFs. The increased migration ability induced by IL-25 was suppressed by the specific inhibitors of MAPKs and NF-κB. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that IL-25 induced myofibroblast differentiation, fibronectin production, and MMP-1 and -13 expressions through the signaling pathways of MAPKs and NF-κB. in NPDFs and increased expression of IL-25 were also involved in the pathogenesis of nasal polyposis by affecting nasal fibroblasts in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.
Subject(s)
Fibroblasts/drug effects , Fibroblasts/pathology , Interleukin-17/pharmacology , Nasal Polyps/complications , Nose/pathology , Sinusitis/pathology , Actins/metabolism , Adult , Cell Differentiation/drug effects , Cell Movement/drug effects , Enzyme Activation/drug effects , Female , Fibronectins/biosynthesis , Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic/drug effects , Humans , Male , Matrix Metalloproteinase 1/metabolism , Matrix Metalloproteinase 13/metabolism , Middle Aged , Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Receptors, Interleukin/genetics , Receptors, Interleukin-17/metabolism , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Sinusitis/genetics , Sinusitis/metabolismABSTRACT
The aim of this study is to evaluate if mitomycin C (MMC), applied topically at the site of maxillary antrostomy in experimentally inflamed maxillary sinuses, may reduce postoperative ostial stenosis without any harmful effect. Twenty-four rabbits with experimentally induced maxillary sinusitis underwent maxillary antrostomy bilaterally. MMC at a concentration of 0.4 or 1 mg/ml was applied at the site of antrostomy on the right whilst the antrostomy site on the left served as the control. Half of each MMC concentration group of animals were killed after 3 weeks, and the remaining half after 6 weeks. For every rabbit, the areas of antrostomies were measured and mucosal specimens around the ostia were obtained for microscopic evaluation at the time of antrostomy and killing. Within each MMC concentration group, MMC-treated antrostomies were significantly wider than those of the controls (P < 0.05), even after 6 weeks. However, comparison of the areas of MMC-treated antrostomies between the two MMC concentration groups did not show any significant difference (P > 0.05). No systemic side effect or permanent mucosal damage was detected. These results suggest that postoperative topical MMC at a concentration of 0.4 mg/ml can be used to prolong the patency of maxillary antrostomy in an inflammed sinus.
