Division of ENT Diseases, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Allergy. 2011 May;66(5):621-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2010.02527.x. Epub 2011 Jan 17.
Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) are newly discovered cytosolic receptors belonging to the pattern-recognition receptor family. They detect various pathogen-associated molecular patterns, triggering an immune response. The knowledge about these receptors, and their role in health and disease, is limited. The aim of the present study was to characterize the expression of NOD1, NOD2, and NALP3 in the human upper airways.
Surgical samples were obtained from patients with tonsillar disease (n = 151), hypertrophic adenoids (n = 9), and nasal polyposis (n = 24). Nasal biopsies were obtained from healthy volunteers (n = 10). The expression of NOD1, NOD2, and NALP3 was analyzed using real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry.
Expression of NOD1, NOD2, and NALP3 mRNA and protein were seen in all tissue specimens. The NLR mRNA was found to be higher in nasal polyps than in normal nasal mucosa, and local steroid treatment reduced the NLR expression in polyps. In contrast, tonsillar infection with Streptococcus pyogenes or Haemophilus influenzae did not affect the NLR expression.
The present study demonstrates the presence of NLRs in several upper airway tissues and highlights a potential role of NLRs in chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps.
核苷酸结合寡聚化结构域（NOD）样受体（NLRs）是新发现的胞质受体，属于模式识别受体家族。它们可以识别多种病原体相关分子模式，从而引发免疫反应。目前，人们对这些受体及其在健康和疾病中的作用的了解还很有限。本研究旨在描述人上呼吸道中 NOD1、NOD2 和 NALP3 的表达情况。
从患有扁桃体疾病（n=151）、肥大性腺样体（n=9）和鼻息肉（n=24）的患者中获取手术样本，并从健康志愿者（n=10）中获取鼻活检样本。使用实时 PCR 和免疫组织化学法分析 NOD1、NOD2 和 NALP3 的表达情况。
在所有组织标本中均观察到 NOD1、NOD2 和 NALP3 的 mRNA 和蛋白表达。与正常鼻黏膜相比，鼻息肉中 NLR 的 mRNA 表达更高，局部皮质类固醇治疗可降低息肉中的 NLR 表达。相比之下，化脓性链球菌或流感嗜血杆菌引起的扁桃体感染不会影响 NLR 的表达。
本研究表明 NLR 存在于多种上呼吸道组织中，并强调了 NLR 在伴有息肉的慢性鼻-鼻窦炎中的潜在作用。
