Exon Array Analysis of Asthmatic Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps

Asthmatic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (aCRSwNP) is a common disruptive eosinophilic disease. Therefore, we sought to identify gene expression changes in nasosinus inflamed mucosa and adjacent polyp tissue from subjects with aCRSwNP. Twelve asthmatic chronic rhinosinusitis (aCRS) subjects (11 with nasal polyps; aCRSwNP) provided inflamed nasosinus mucosa (11 samples) and adjacent polyp (10 samples) or a small mixed mucosa and polyp specimen (1 sample) (thus, 22 samples overall). Inflamed mucosa or polyp was from the middle meatus or anterior ethmoid cavity. As control samples, nasosinus tissue was collected from the inferior turbinate or uncinate process from normal or rhinitis subjects without nasal polyps (n=17); 4 had physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis (AR), 2 had suspected AR, 1 had suspected vasomotor rhinitis, and 10 had no signs of nasosinus disease, allergy, or atopy. All 4 AR subjects chose to donate tissue outside of their known allergy season(s).