Author(s)

Veysel Yurttas^1*, Tayfun Apuhan², Tugce Simsek¹, Zeynep Ocak³, Uzeyir Gok⁴

¹Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Abant Izzet Baysal University Faculty of Medicine, Bolu, Turkey.
²Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Intercontinental Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
³Department of Genetic, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey.
⁴Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Medical Park Hospital, Elazig, Turkey.

Objective: To investigate the expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the correlation between TLR expression and mucosal changes in chronic sinusitis-related nasal polyposis. Methods: Patients with nasal polyps were enrolled in this study as the study group. The control group consisted of individuals undergoing surgery due to nasal obstruction caused by concha hypertrophy who were not diagnosed with chronic sinusitis-related nasal polyposis (NP). There were 30 patients in the study group (individuals with NP) and 20 patients in the control group. Sterile tissue samples were taken from the patients and were kept at -80°C. A piece of tissue sample was put into the eppendorf tube. Expression of TLR2 and TLR4 gene was investigated in the tissue samples. The samples were taken after the surgery; they were carried into the liquid nitrogen and were kept at -80° C before study. Results: TLR2 and TLR4 expression was measured in both groups and then analyzed using Student’s t-test. In the experimental group, the level of TLR2 expression was significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.001); however, TLR4 expression was not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.656). Conclusion: TLRs are thought to play a role in the etiopathogenesis of NP. In addition, the authors consider that a possible treatment for NP could be a TLR-specific treatment. Thus, in the future it will be essential to determine the extent to which TLRs function in NP formation and to apply this knowledge to design a specific therapeutic regimen for the enhanced treatment of NP.

Nasal Polyposis, Toll-Like Receptor, Gene Expression, Etiopathogenesis

Yurttas, V. , Apuhan, T. , Simsek, T. , Ocak, Z. and Gok, U. (2016) Toll-Like Receptor Gene Expression in Nasal Polyp. International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, 5, 90-95. doi: 10.4236/ijohns.2016.52015.