Infection rate and virus-induced cytokine secretion in experimental rhinovirus infection in mucosal organ culture - Comparison between specimens from patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and those from normal subjects

Objective: To investigate the difference in susceptibility to rhinovirus (RV) infection and RV-induced inflammatory response between the nasal mucosae from patients' with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRS/NP) and subjects without CRS/NP (hereinafter, normal subjects). Design: In vitro study. Setting: Tertiary care rhinology clinic. Patients: We conducted RV infection experiments on the organ cultures of NPs and inferior turbinate mucosae from 16 patients with CRS/NP and sphenoid sinus and inferior turbinate mucosae from 19 patients who under-went transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. Main Outcome Measures: Successful RV-16 infection was determined by positive identification of RV on the surface fluid of organ culture using, seminested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Effects of RV on interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-8 secretion were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The successful RV infection was achievable in 9 of 16 NP samples (56.3%) and 9 of 16 turbinate samples (56.3%) from patients with CRS/NP compared with I I of 19 sphenoid sinus samples (57.9%) and 15 of 19 turbinate samples (78.9%) from normal subjects. The RV infection increased IL-6 and IL-8 secretion 236% and 173%, respectively, in NP samples, and 218% and 178%, respectively, in turbinate samples from patients with CRS/NP; compared with 231% and 145%, respectively, in sphenoid mucosa samples, and 181% and 148%, respectively, in turbinate samples from normal subjects. However, there were no statistical differences among the 4 groups. Conclusion: These in vitro findings suggest that subjects with CRS/NP mucosa might not be more susceptible to RV infection, and did not secrete more cytokines in response to rhinovirus infection, than those with normal mucosa.