OBJECTIVE The purpose of our study was to measure the glucocorticoid receptor(GR)protein level in the nuclei of nasal polyp cells and compare the results in nasal polyposis patients with chronic rhinosinusitis alone and with chronic rhinosinusitis accompanied with asthma, before and after glucocorticoid(Glu)therapy. METHODS We used enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay(ELISA) techniques to quantitatively measure the activated- GR protein level in the nuclei of the nasal polyp cells. Nasal polyp tissues were obtained from patients with chronic rhinosinusitis alone and with chronic rhinosinusitis accompanied with bronchial asthma. In the latter, polyp tissues were obtained before and after Glu therapy seperatively. RESULTS Our data showed no significant differences between the activated- GR protein level of the nasal polyposis patients with chronic rhinosinusitis alone and with chronic rhinosinusitis accompanied with bronchial asthma before Glu therapy. However, the activated-GR protein level was significantly upregulated after Glu therapy in the patients with chronic rhinosinusitis accompanied with bronchial asthma. CONCLUSION The result of our research clearly showed that Glus upregulated the activated-GR protein level in the nuclei of nasal polyp cells and that the upregulation is essential for Glus anti-inflammatory action.

We evaluated the clinical effects of acupuncture/moxibustion therapy in 7 patients with vertigo that was uncontrollable with western medicine. The observation period was 6-15 months. The 7 patients consisted of 1 male and 6 females aged 29-73 years (mean, 44.7 years). More than 4 courses or more of acupuncture/moxibustion treatment (acupuncture + warm moxibustion) were performed in each patient, and the effects were evaluated based on the results of a daily living disability questionnaire before and after treatment. In practice, these effects were classified into 4 grades (cure, improvement, no change, aggravation). Cure was observed in1patient, improvement in 5 patients, and no change in1patient, indicating this therapy was effective in 85% of the patients. None of the patients showed aggravation of their condition. In addition, no adverse effects were observed.Our results suggest that acupuncture/moxibustion therapy has certain effects on intractable vertigo. Therefore, in patients with vertigo who do not respond to western medical care, such as the administration of anti-vertigo drugs, a beneficial effect of acupuncture/moxibustion as a complementary therapy can be expected.
Acupuncture ; Therapeutic procedure ; Vertigo ; Patients ; Effective

OBJECTIVEChronic rhinosinusitis was often exacerbated by viral infection. A disruption of the mechanisms that regulate the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) during viral infection was one possible mechanism responsible for the exacerbation. The purpose of study was to achieve a better understanding of MMP expression in nasal epithelial cells after viral infection.

METHODSHuman nasal epithelial cells were isolated from nasal polyp specimens obtained during endoscopic endonasal surgery in chronic rhinosinusitis patients. The expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 mRNA in primary human nasal polyp epithelial cells after double stranded RNA (ds RNA) stimulation were investigated.

RESULTSAmong the genes whose expression was evaluated, only expression of MMP-9 mRNA increased significantly after dsRNA stimulation (22.61 +/- 5.47 fold increase, Z = -2.52, P = 0.012).

CONCLUSIONSThe significant up-regulation of MMP-9 mRNA, which was not modulated by TIMP-1, was an additional source of increased proteolytic activity in virus-infected upper airways that might contribute to the exacerbation of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

Cells, Cultured ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Nasal Polyps ; genetics ; metabolism ; Poly I-C ; pharmacology ; RNA, Double-Stranded ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Sinusitis ; genetics ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; genetics ; metabolism