(1211) Effect of Nasal Polyp-Derived Innate Lymphoid Cells on Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Introduction: Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are involved in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), and Staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB) from Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most characterized microbial components that promote chronic inflammation, such as the local eosinophilia in CRSwNP. In the present study, we sought to characterize the involvement of ILCs in SEB-induced cellular responses in CRSwNP.

Methods: Dispersed nasal polyp (NP) cells (DNPCs) and NP-derived ILCs were prepared from NPs. DNPCs and/or NP-derived ILCs were stimulated with SEB, then the levels of type 1 (interferon-γ, type 2 (interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13), type 3 (IL-17A and IL-22), and regulatory (IL-10) cytokines in the supernatants were determined. In addition, the pathophysiological significance of the effect of ILCs on SEB-induced cytokine production in DNPCs was analyzed.

Results: NP-derived ILCs alone did not produce substantial amounts of the analyzed cytokines in response to SEB. The addition of ILCs significantly reduced IL-17A production in DNPCs in response to SEB (p = 0.028). In addition, the degree of NP eosinophilia was significantly and positively correlated with the changes in IL-13 production induced by the addition of NP-derived ILCs (r = 0.809, p = 0.003).

Conclusions: These results suggest that ILCs in NPs play a role in the pathogenesis of CRSwNP triggered by exposure to SEB. In particular, ILCs may enhance eosinophilic inflammation through increased IL-13 production following exposure to SEB.