Objectives/hypothesis: In rhinologic disorders such as polyposis or rhinitis, nasal cytology allows differentiation between patients according to the degree of eosinophilia in nasal secretions. The egress of eosinophil and/or neutrophil polymorphonuclears from the underlying mucosa might correlate with the release of soluble mediators of cell activation such as the chemokine IL-8, and such molecules of the innate immunity as the LPS-receptor CD14 or lysozyme. We assayed the levels of these three molecules in nasal secretions in correlation with cytologic findings and especially the degree of eosinophilia.
Study design: Fifty-four patients from a prospective study of nasal secretions were enrolled in this work. They constituted two groups of 27 patients each, respectively, with or without more than 20% eosinophils in nasal secretions. Nasal secretions were collected by aspiration, weighed and diluted in a fixed amount of buffer. Classic cytologic analyses were performed on the pelleted cells and IL-8, sCD14, and lysozyme levels were assayed in the cell-free supernatants.
Methods: Cytologic analyses included cell-enumeration in Neubauer's chambers, and differentials performed on May-Grünwald Giemsa-stained cytospins. ELISA tests were used to assay the levels of IL-8 and sCD14. Lysozyme concentrations were assayed in immuno-nephelometry.
Results: Significantly lower levels of IL-8 and sCD14 were observed in patients with eosinophilia than in patients with a predominance of neutrophils, whereas no difference was observed in lysozyme concentrations.
Conclusion: These data show that the egress of neutrophils in nasal secretions is associated with high levels of IL-8 and sCD14.