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Volume: 44 - Issue: 3

First page: 211 - Last page: 215

J.F. Papon - E. Lechapt-Zalcman - M. Abina - al. Abd. I. Samad - R. Peyn?®gre - E. Escudier - A. Coste

DOI: 10.4193/Rhin

Statement of problem: Inverted papilloma (IP) is a proliferative lesion of the epithelium lining the sinonasal tract, characterized by marked propensity for recurrence and association with carcinoma. To determine a putative role of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 in the establishment of IP, their expression was studied in IP.
Methods: Archived surgical specimens from 15 IPs were studied using immunohistochemistry and compared to 12 nasal polyps (NP), a model of chronic respiratory mucosal inflammation, and to 6 control nasal mucosa (CM) samples obtained from snorers during turbinectomy. Within IP, MMP-2 and -9 expression was compared between tumoral areas with hyperplastic epithelium and non tumoral areas with nonhyperplastic epithelium.
Results: In IP, MMP-2 and MMP-9 epithelial expression was not different compared to CM and NP. MMP-9 expression in submucosal inflammatory cells was not different between IP and CM or NP. However, within IP, a significantly increased number of MMP-9 positive inflammatory cells in the lamina propria adjacent to the hyperplastic epithelium was observed compared to the lamina propria adjacent to nonhyperplastic epithelium.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that MMP 9 expressing inflammatory cells may be involved in the pathophysiology of IP.

Rhinology 44 - 3: 211-215, 2006