Cytomorphologic and ultrastructural study of nasal mucosa by means of brushing: a comparison between asymptomatic and rhinitic subjects

The authors compared the cytomorphologic and ultrastructural features of nasal epithelium collected by means of brushing from asymptomatic subjects with these of patients affected by nasal polyposis (NP), allergic (AR) and non-allergic rhinitis (NAR). A brushing of nasal epithelium was taken from each member of both groups, and analysed under light and electron microscopy. The observation showed normal ciliary patterns and preserved intercellular joints in the great majority of asymptomatic subjects, while in all subjects of the pathologic group the junctions appeared variously damaged or absents, with ciliary abnormalities. The damage to the intercellular joints, rather than the alterations of ciliary patterns, seemed to represent in this study the border between the absence of symptoms and the presence of chronic inflammation. Therefore, a reduced tightness of the intercellular joints could contribute to the impairment of the mucociliary clearance, priming the vicious circle that leads to the condition of chronic inflammation.