Kang Bor-Hwang, Hsiung Ming-Wang, Wang Hsing-Won
Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, 325 Section 2, Cheng-Kung Road, 114, Taipei, Taiwan ROC.
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2005 Jan;262(1):72-6. doi: 10.1007/s00405-003-0672-1. Epub 2004 Mar 11.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a molecule involved in multiple functions including vasodilatation, neural transmission, immune response and inflammation. However, the role of NO in the pathophysiology of vocal cord diseases is not clear. The present study investigated the possible involvement of NO and its toxic metabolite, peroxynitrite, in the pathogenesis of vocal polyps and nodules. Vocal polyps and nodules were obtained from patients receiving surgery for their conditions. Immunohistochemistry was applied to evaluate the expression of the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) as well as the production of peroxynitrite represented by the formation of its biological footprint, 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT). Each section was given a score of 0 to 4 according to the labeling intensity seen, with the highest number representing the highest labeling intensity. The results showed that vocal polyp had an average iNOS labeling score of 3.2, which was significantly higher than the value of 1.9 in vocal nodules. The average labeling score of 3-NT was 2.8 in vocal polyps, which was also significantly higher than the value of 1.8 in vocal nodules. There was also a positive correlation between the level of iNOS expression and the extent of 3-NT formation. These results suggest that increased peroxynitrite production, resulting from increased iNOS expression and NO formation, may have an important pathogenic role in these vocal diseases.
一氧化氮（NO）是一种参与多种功能的分子，包括血管舒张、神经传递、免疫反应和炎症。然而，NO在声带疾病病理生理学中的作用尚不清楚。本研究调查了NO及其毒性代谢产物过氧亚硝酸盐在声带息肉和小结发病机制中的可能作用。声带息肉和小结取自因这些病症接受手术的患者。应用免疫组织化学评估诱导型一氧化氮合酶（iNOS）的表达以及以其生物足迹3-硝基酪氨酸（3-NT）的形成所代表的过氧亚硝酸盐的产生。根据所见的标记强度，每个切片给予0至4分，最高分数代表最高标记强度。结果显示，声带息肉的iNOS平均标记评分为3.2，显著高于声带小结的1.9分。声带息肉中3-NT的平均标记评分为2.8，也显著高于声带小结的1.8分。iNOS表达水平与3-NT形成程度之间也存在正相关。这些结果表明，iNOS表达增加和NO形成导致的过氧亚硝酸盐产生增加可能在这些声带疾病中具有重要的致病作用。
