IL-12 and IL-4 expressions in nasal polyps.

Objective To explore the significance of Th1,Th2 and related cytokines in human nasal polyp tissues and to explore the relationship between cytokines and the formative mechanism of nasal polyps.Methods 30 cases of nasal polyps and 20 cases of normal middle turbinate mucosa were involved in this study.Fresh samples were prepared into single cell suspension for flow cytometric analysis.Concentrations of IL-12 and IL-4 were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results Th1 subsets were predominant in the nasal polyps,and Th1 and Th2 subsets in nasal polyps were significantly higher than those in the normal middle turbinate mucosa(controls).Levels of IL-12 and IL-4 in nasal polyp tissues were significantly higher than those in the controls(P0.05).There was a positive correlation between mean percentage of Th1 subsets and IL-12 in nasal polyps and a positive correlation between mean percentage of Th2 subsets and IL-4 in nasal polyps,but there was a negative correlation between mean percentages of IL-4 and IL-12 in nasal polyps.Conclusion Th cells of nasal polyps are differentiated into Th1 and Th 2 by the effect of IL-12 and IL-4, and both may play certain roles in the occurrence and development of this disease.