TY - JOUR
T1 - Localization of nerve growth factor and its receptors in the human nasal mucosa
AU - Wu, Xin Qun
AU - Myers, Allen C.
AU - Goldstone, Andrew C.
AU - Togias, Alkis
AU - Sanico, Alvin M.
N1 - Funding Information:
Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: A. C. Myers has received grant support from the National Institutes of Health. A. Sanico has consultant arrangements with and has received grant support from Merck and is on the speaker's bureau for Aventis, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Pfizer, and UCB. The rest of the authors have declared that they have no conflict of interest.
PY - 2006/8
Y1 - 2006/8
N2 - Background: Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a pluripotent mediator, the levels of which are elevated in nasal lavage fluids of individuals with allergic rhinitis at baseline. Levels of NGF increase after allergen challenge. Objective: In the current study, we tested the hypotheses that mast cells are the main source of human nasal NGF, and that NGF can potentially affect mucosal elements other than nerves. Methods: Immunostaining with antibodies against NGF, tryptase, CD3, eosinophil cationic protein, and the high-affinity (tyrosine kinase A) and low-affinity (p75) receptors for NGF was performed by using human nasal turbinate sections. Results: Double immunofluorescence staining demonstrated NGF in only 2% (median) (1.3, 2.3; 25th, 75th percentiles) of mast cells, 0.2% (0, 0.4) of T cells, but in 62.2% (56.5, 68) of activated eosinophils. With immunohistology, NGF expression was consistently strongest in the submucosal glands and lesser in the epithelial lining. Both high-affinity and low-affinity receptors for NGF were localized not only on nerves, as expected, but also on nasal epithelium, submucosal glands, and some interstitial cells, but not on vascular endothelium. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that submucosal glands, nasal epithelium, and eosinophils constitute the major sources of NGF in the human nasal mucosa. That NGF receptors are found in cells other than nerves supports the notion that the role of this neurotrophin is broader than simple modulation of the sensorineural system. Clinical implications: The distribution of NGF and its receptors and its established release during allergic reactions suggest that this factor participates in the pathophysiology of allergic rhinitis.
AB - Background: Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a pluripotent mediator, the levels of which are elevated in nasal lavage fluids of individuals with allergic rhinitis at baseline. Levels of NGF increase after allergen challenge. Objective: In the current study, we tested the hypotheses that mast cells are the main source of human nasal NGF, and that NGF can potentially affect mucosal elements other than nerves. Methods: Immunostaining with antibodies against NGF, tryptase, CD3, eosinophil cationic protein, and the high-affinity (tyrosine kinase A) and low-affinity (p75) receptors for NGF was performed by using human nasal turbinate sections. Results: Double immunofluorescence staining demonstrated NGF in only 2% (median) (1.3, 2.3; 25th, 75th percentiles) of mast cells, 0.2% (0, 0.4) of T cells, but in 62.2% (56.5, 68) of activated eosinophils. With immunohistology, NGF expression was consistently strongest in the submucosal glands and lesser in the epithelial lining. Both high-affinity and low-affinity receptors for NGF were localized not only on nerves, as expected, but also on nasal epithelium, submucosal glands, and some interstitial cells, but not on vascular endothelium. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that submucosal glands, nasal epithelium, and eosinophils constitute the major sources of NGF in the human nasal mucosa. That NGF receptors are found in cells other than nerves supports the notion that the role of this neurotrophin is broader than simple modulation of the sensorineural system. Clinical implications: The distribution of NGF and its receptors and its established release during allergic reactions suggest that this factor participates in the pathophysiology of allergic rhinitis.
KW - NGF receptors
KW - Nerve growth factor
KW - TrkA
KW - eosinophils
KW - epithelium
KW - mast cells
KW - p75
KW - rhinitis
KW - sensory nerves
KW - submucosal glands
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jaci.2006.04.037
DO - 10.1016/j.jaci.2006.04.037
M3 - Article
C2 - 16890768
AN - SCOPUS:33746486932
SN - 0091-6749
VL - 118
SP - 428
EP - 433
JO - Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
JF - Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
IS - 2
ER -