上皮屏障在慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉中的研究进展

Progress of research regarding the role of the epithelial barrier in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉(CRSwNP)是耳鼻咽喉科的常见病,以鼻腔和鼻窦黏膜的高度异质性慢性炎症为特征。近年来,由于其发病率不断升高且易反复发作,预后较差,严重影响患者的生活质量,增加社会医疗经济负担。鼻黏膜上皮细胞构成的上皮屏障作为“守门员”,是鼻腔抵御病原体、过敏原等入侵的第一道防线。它通过启动防御机制、激活各类理化因子和调节免疫反应等维护宿主鼻腔黏膜的健康稳态。研究表明,上皮屏障功能障碍与CRSwNP的发生密切相关,也是目前CRSwNP领域的研究热点之一。因此,深入探究调控CRSwNP上皮屏障功能障碍的潜在分子生物学机制至关重要。本文将对上皮屏障在CRSwNP形成过程中的功能、作用机制和破坏因素等方面的研究进展作一综述,以期为阐明CRSwNP的病理机制提供见解,为其诊断和治疗的研究提供新方向。

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps(CRSwNP)is a common disease in otorhinolaryngology characterized by the highly heterogeneous chronic inflammation of the nasal and sinonasal mucosa.Recently,CRSwNP has been reported to have substantially affected the quality of life of patients and increased social and economic burdens due to the increase in its worldwide incidence,frequent recurrence,and poor therapeutic outcomes.As a gatekeeper,the epithelial barrier,which is composed of epithelial cells,is the first line of defense against the invasion of pathogens and allergens in the nasal cavity.It maintains the homeostasis within hosts by initiating defense mechanisms,activating various physicochemical factors,and regulating immune responses.Studies have shown that epithelial barrier dysfunction is closely related to the occurrence of CRSwNP;this is currently one of the major focuses of CRSwNP-associated research.Therefore,it is crucial to elucidate the molecular biological mechanisms underlying CRSwNP-associated epithelial barrier dysfunction.This review summarizes the progress of current research regarding the functions and the mechanisms underlying the action of,and the factors damaging,the epithelial barrier during CRSwNP.Our review will provide insights into the pathological mechanism of CRSwNP and shed light on new directions for research regarding its diagnosis and treatment.