Background and objectives: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is an inflammatory disease of the nose and the paranasal sinuses, often associated with an infection by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Disturbance in the function of ion channels is regarded as an etiological factor for pathogenesis of CRS. The study aims to measure the mRNA expression of the ENaC and CFTR ion channels in nasal epithelial cells (NECs) and to investigate the effect of both the budesonide and S. aureus on these ion channels.
Materials and Method: NECs biopsies obtained from healthy volunteers and patients with CRS. NECs were infected with S. aureus strains and/or budesonide to study the mRNA expression levels of the ENaC and CFTR ion channels.
Results: The mRNA expression level of CFTR was increased while that of ENaC was decreased. S. aureus infection and budesonide treatment induced a significant modulation of ENaC and CFTR ion channels expression.
Conclusion: The CFTR and ENaC ion channel physiology are of importance in the pathogenesis of CRS. Exposure to S. aureus infection and treatment with budesonide modulated the mRNA expression of CFTR and ENaC ion channels. The study is an effort for a better understanding of the pathophysiology of CRS. In order to reach further knowledge, studies on functional properties of the ENaC and CFTR ion channels are necessary.