BACKGROUND: Many mucosal inflammatory conditions are associated with alterations in epithelial intercellular junctions and barrier function; however, little is known about the role of intercellular junctions in inflammatory diseases of the upper airways. In this study, we examined @entity480 for altered intercellular junctions and protein expression. METHODS: Biopsy specimens of @entity480 and normal tissue were obtained intraoperatively from 11 @entity1 and 6 controls. Tissue was analyzed for expression of intercellular junctional proteins by immunofluorescence. In parallel, cultured @entity1 bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells were treated with @entity5 @entity39 factor (TNF) alpha, interferon (IFN) gamma, and @entity4047 to simulate inflammatory conditions followed by assessment for changes in junctional proteins by immunofluorescence and Western blot. RESULTS: Of the intercellular junctional proteins analyzed, including proteins comprising tight and adherens junctions, the only alterations observed were in desmosomal proteins in nasal polyp epithelium compared with normal controls. Specifically, expression of desmosomal proteins @entity8259 and @entity8260 were significantly decreased in @entity1127 versus controls (0.53 pixel/microm2 versus 1.09 pixel/microm2 [p = 0.009], and 0.29 pixel/microm2 versus 1.11 pixel/microm2 [p = 0.0078], respectively). In vitro experiments involving exposure of cultured HBE cells with inflammatory cytokines revealed that @entity310 treatment resulted in internalization and decreased expression of @entity8259 by immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Treatment with @entity379 resulted in increased expression of @entity8259 and evidence of protein cleavage by Western blot. @entity4047 exposure resulted in down-regulation of @entity8259 expression and evidence of protein cleavage. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that @entity480 express decreased levels of @entity8259 and @entity8260 components of desmosomal junctions. This is likely linked to the mucosal inflammatory response. Exposure of a respiratory cell line to @entity1198 /Th2 cytokines results in similar expressional alterations in @entity8259 , suggesting protein internalization and cleavage. We speculate that weakened desmosomal junctions in nasal mucosa secondary to inflammatory cytokines may contribute to the formation of @entity1412 .

Pathophysiology of XXXX : the role of desmosomal junctions.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['human', 'patients'] @entity8260 :: ('1830', 'Gene') :: ['DSG3'] @entity4047 :: ('3596', 'Gene') :: ['IL-13'] @entity1127 :: ('MESH:D011127', 'Disease') :: ['polyps'] @entity39 :: ('MESH:D009336', 'Disease') :: ['necrosis'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor'] @entity310 :: ('7124', 'Gene') :: ['TNF-alpha'] @entity8259 :: ('1829', 'Gene') :: ['DSG2'] @entity1198 :: ('51497', 'Gene') :: ['Th1'] @entity379 :: ('3458', 'Gene') :: ['IFN-gamma'] @entity1412 :: ('MESH:D011125', 'Disease') :: ['nasal polyposis'] @entity480 :: ('MESH:D009298', 'Disease') :: ['nasal polyps']
@entity1412 :: (MESH:D011125,Disease) :: ['nasal polyposis']
