The Expression Analysis of IL-6, IL-18, IL-21, IL-23, and TGF-β mRNA in the Nasal Mucosa of Patients with Allergic Rhinitis

Background: The profile of inflammatory and suppressing cytokines is important to contribute to the disruption of TH1/ TH2 balance in Allergic rhinitis (AR).

Objective: This study aimed to assess the expression levels of IL-6, IL-18, IL-21, IL-23, and TGF-β in nasal biopsies in AR patients and evaluate its correlation with the severity of AR.

Material and method: The study included 30 patients with mild persistent allergic rhinitis (MPAR), patients with moderate-to-severe (M/S) PAR, and 30 healthy individuals. The biopsies of nasal inferior turbinate mucosa were collected from each participant. The expression of IL-6, IL-18, IL-21, IL-23, and TGF-β was evaluated by the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The degree of eosinophil infiltration into the nasal mucosa, blood eosinophils, and total serum IgE level were also measured.

Result: The expression of IL-6, IL-18, and IL-23 in patients with AR significantly increased compared to the control group. Conversely, the gene expression of the TGF-β declined in the M/S PAR group rather than the AR- group. The data did not show a significant difference in the expression of the IL-21 gene between AR+ and AR- groups.

Conclusion: We suggested that inflammatory cytokines including IL-6, IL-18, and IL-23 may be involved in the severity of AR and associated with markers of inflammation.