OBJECTIVETo detect the expression and correlation of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2)and key enzymes both of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B( NF-KB) pathways in middle turbinate mucosa of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and to investigate their roles in CRS pathogenesis.

METHODSTwenty-four lateral mucosa of CRS middle turbinates were equally divided into 3 groups according to FESS-97 Haikou criterion (CRS type I stage 2 in group 1, type II stage 2 in group 2, and type III in group 3), and 8 normal mucosa were enrolled as control. Immunohistochemistry and fluorescent real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-RT-PCR) were performed to detect the expression of COX-2, ERK, p38MAPK, JNK and NF-kappaB subunits. The correlations between cox-2 and MAPK, NF-kappaB pathway were statistically treated by Pearson test.

RESULTSPositive expressions of COX-2, ERK, p38MAPK and NF-kappaB subunits were detected in CRS groups, which were stronger than those in control group, by immunohistochemistry and FQ-RT-PCR (P < 0.05). Statistic difference was not found among CRS groups (P > 0.05). Negative expression of JNK was detected in all groups. Significantly positive correlation between protein and RNA expression of COX-2,ERK,p38MAPK and NF-kappaB subunits in each CRS group was confirmed by Pearson correlation treatment (P < 0.05). Significantly positive correlation of protein and RNA expression between COX-2 and ERK, p38MAPK in same CRS group was also founded (P < 0.05). The expression of COX-2 and the nucleic expression of NF-kappaB subunits in same CRS group was proved to be positively correlated (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSUpregulated expression of COX-2 is correlated with upstream ERK, p38MAPK and NF-kappaB pathway in CRS. It indicates the involvement of ERK, p38MAPK and NF-kappaB signal transduction pathway in regulation of COX-2 in CRS.