A recent breakthrough in understanding people with chronic rhino-sinusitis was made at the University of Zurich.<\/p>\n
Scientists there found that patients with severe nasal allergy, especially those with nasal polyps, have a defective epithelial cell barrier lining their nose.<\/p>\n
The normal epithelium of the nose has tight junctions between the individual cells consisting of trans-membrane scaffolding cells. This can best be visualized as being like the grout between individual floor tiles in your home.<\/p>\n
The Zurich researchers found a direct correlation between the severity of the rhinitis and\/or polyps and the scarcity of the tight junction proteins. The reduction of these grout proteins allows two bad things to happen: First it allows easy access of allergens into the depth of the nasal tissue and, second, it allows wider dispersal of inflammatory molecules which worsen symptoms.<\/p>\n
This discovery is probably not too surprising based on a similar situation in the skin of people with eczema and their lack of the intra-cellular grout called filagrin, which was previously discussed in this newsletter.<\/p>\n
The scientists in Zurich are hopeful that this discovery will lead to new therapies that will restore the barrier function of the epithelium.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A recent breakthrough in understanding people with chronic rhino-sinusitis was made at the University of Zurich. Scientists there found that patients with severe nasal allergy, especially those with nasal polyps, have a defective epithelial cell barrier lining their nose. The normal epithelium of the nose has tight junctions between the individual cells consisting of trans-membrane scaffolding cells. This can best be visualized as being like the grout between individual floor tiles in your home. The Zurich researchers found a direct…<\/p>\n