Ma Xinyi, Guo Shu, Liu Fangying, Li Changqing, Shi Xueyun, Liu Weiyuan, Qi Lijie, Yuan Ye, Xie Xinyu, Wang Pin, Borish Larry, Feng Xin
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology (Shandong University), Shandong Provincial Key Medical and Health Discipline of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2025 Apr;134(4):420-430.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2025.01.026. Epub 2025 Jan 30.
Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNPs) involves persistent sinus inflammation, with emerging evidence suggesting a potential role of rhinovirus (RV) in its pathophysiology. However, whether RV exists in nasal tissues and affects the nasal mucosa after the resolution of infection symptoms remains unknown.
To investigate the prevalence and impact of silent RV infection in nasal tissues.
RV loads were detected in the nasal tissues of 47 controls and 101 patients with CRSwNP without respiratory infection. Participants were categorized into RV-positive (+), RV-negative (-), and the "gray zone" groups. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence assays were used to analyze the impact of silent RV infection on the immune status of nasal tissues.
Silent RV infection was prevalent in both control (34%) and CRSwNP (30.7%) tissues, with higher viral loads observed in the nasal polyps. In controls, it was associated with high expression of types 1 and 2 interferon (IFN), type 2 inflammation, interleukin (IL)-17A, and IL-10. In patients with CRSwNP, silent RV infection was associated with lower levels of type 1 IFN, IL-17A, type 2 inflammation, and IL-10 but higher levels of type 2 IFN compared with those without RV infection. Meanwhile, RV (+) nasal polyps exhibited fewer tissue eosinophils and neutrophils than RV (-) nasal polyps.
Silent RV infection was prevalent in the nasal tissues, with a higher viral load detected in the nasal polyps. This silent RV infection is associated with distinct immune responses in healthy controls and patients with CRSwNP, involving differential modulation of IFNs, T2 cytokines, IL-17A, IL-10, and eosinophil and neutrophil levels.
伴鼻息肉的慢性鼻-鼻窦炎（CRSwNP）涉及鼻窦的持续性炎症，越来越多的证据表明鼻病毒（RV）在其病理生理学中可能发挥作用。然而，RV是否存在于鼻组织中以及在感染症状消退后是否会影响鼻黏膜仍不清楚。
研究鼻组织中无症状RV感染的患病率及其影响。
在47名对照者和101名无呼吸道感染的CRSwNP患者的鼻组织中检测RV载量。参与者被分为RV阳性（+）、RV阴性（-）和“灰色区域”组。采用定量聚合酶链反应、蛋白质免疫印迹法和免疫荧光测定法分析无症状RV感染对鼻组织免疫状态的影响。
无症状RV感染在对照组（34%）和CRSwNP组（30.7%）的组织中均很普遍，在鼻息肉中观察到更高的病毒载量。在对照组中，它与1型和2型干扰素（IFN）、2型炎症、白细胞介素（IL）-17A和IL-10的高表达有关。在CRSwNP患者中，与无RV感染的患者相比，无症状RV感染与1型IFN、IL-17A、2型炎症和IL-10水平较低但2型IFN水平较高有关。同时，RV（+）鼻息肉中的组织嗜酸性粒细胞和中性粒细胞比RV（-）鼻息肉少。
无症状RV感染在鼻组织中很普遍，在鼻息肉中检测到更高的病毒载量。这种无症状RV感染与健康对照组和CRSwNP患者不同的免疫反应有关，涉及IFN、T2细胞因子、IL-17A、IL-10以及嗜酸性粒细胞和中性粒细胞水平的差异调节。
