Immunohistochemical localization of eotaxin immunoreactivity in nasal polyps

Abstract

Eotaxin is a C–C chemokine that acts to selectively induce local accumulation of eosinophils and basophils. Eotaxin is also believed to be involved in the infiltration of eosinophils in the nasal polyps of patients with chronic sinusitis. However, only a few studies on eotaxin in nasal polyps have been performed. In this study, we investigated the localization of eotaxin in human nasal polyps and the identification of eotaxin-positive cells using immunohistochemistry. The distribution of eotaxin immunoreactivity in the nasal polyps of patients with chronic sinusitis was found to almost coincide with the presence of eosinophils. Eotaxin immunoreactivity was also detected in some vascular endothelial cells. These findings suggest that eotaxin is produced by eosinophils and vascular endothelial cells in nasal polyps and is involved in the accumulation of eosinophils in nasal polyps.