[Effect of erythromycin on apoptosis of eosinophils in nasal polyps in vitro].

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of erythromycin on apoptosis of eosinophils in nasal polyps in vitro.

METHODS

Fifteen nasal polyp biopsies were collected during nasal polypectomy. The specimens were cultured with erythromycin in RPMI1640, and cultured without erythromycin as control group. The explants in both groups were taken out at 1, 3, 5 day after culture. The apoptosis of cells was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferasemediated dUTP nick endlabeling(TUNEL), eosinophils were identified by morphology and serial sections stained with HE, then the apoptosis index (AI) of eosinophils was calculated.

RESULTS

The AI of eosinophils in nasal polyps after cultured for 1,3,5 days with erythromycin were (31.77 +/- 9.52)%, (32.67 +/- 9.44)% and (50.34 +/- 8.78)% respectively. In control group, the AI of eosinophils were (29.18 +/- 7.31)%, (29.82 +/- 12.03)% and (42.25 +/- 8.08)% respectively. There were significant difference between two groups at 5 day after culture(P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Erythromycin promoted apoptosis of eosinophils in nasal polyps in vitro.