Abstract
The author examined the immunohistochemical distribution of fibronectin (FN) and fibronectin receptor (FNR) in the normal nasal mucosa, in the nasal mucosa with allergic rhinitis and in the paranasal sinus mucosa with chronic sinusitis by the use of the peroxidase antiperoxidase method, and measured FN concentration of nasal fluid using enzyme immunoassay.
The results are as follows: FN was found in most of the serous cells and some of the mucous cells in both nasal and paranasal glands, and also in the nasal fluid in the lumina. FN was not found elsewhere, such as in interstitial tissue except for only 2 of 35 chronic sinusitis cases. FNR-immunoreactivation was present in some of the infiltrated cells in the paranasal sinus mucosa with chronic sinusitis, and absent in the nasal mucosa. FN concentration of nasal fluid was significantly higher (P<0.01) in chronic sinusites (average ±SD, 31.73±16.39μg/ml) than in allergic rhinitis (4.33±3.86, μg/ml).
These results suggest that FN is produced in the nasal glands and secreted into the nasal fluid. It is postulated that bacterial adherence to the mucosa produced by FN and FNR increases in chronic sinusitis, which results in prolonged inflammation.
