A comparison of changes in the mucous glands and goblet cells of nasal, sinus, and bronchial mucosa

Abstract

A comparison of mucous gland size in the bronchial and nasal mucosa was performed on material from 24 random necropsies. The Reid index and counts of mucous gland acini were used as measures of hypertrophy. In 14 of these cases the relationship between goblet cell hyperplasia in the sinus mucosa and the presence of chronic bronchitis was investigated by comparing the proportion of goblet cells with the corresponding Reid index. No significant correlation was found between nasal and bronchial mucous gland size, and no association was demonstrated between the proportion of goblet cells in the sinus mucosa and the presence of chronic bronchitis as assessed by the Reid index. These findings suggest that a direct association between chronic bronchitis and chronic sinusitis probably does not exist, and that the inclusion of chronic bronchitis in the 'sino-bronchial syndrome' is not valid. We feel that this term should be restricted to the association of chronic sinusitis with bronchiectasis or adult pulmonary mucoviscidosis. If either infection or air pollution were the predominant cause of mucous gland hypertrophy, changes similar to those found in the bronchi would be expected in the nose and sinuses. Since our results show they are not found there, then some other factor, such as cigarette smoking, must be responsible.

Mucocele of the paranasal sinuses

“…The histological changes which have been observed in the mucocele walls of our cases are similar to those found in chronically irritated and inflamed respiratory mucous membrane. This is in agreement with the findings of other investigations (Burton and Dixon, 1969;Schaeffer, 1973).…”

“…The opponents of this theory claim, however, that a mucocele of this type would not be expansive, and would therefore not produce bone destruction (Howarth, 1921;Zizmor et al, 1974;Schenck, 1974). In addition, our 5 histological controls showed few or no mucous glands in the submucosa of the frontal sinus, this being in agreement with other investigations (Burton and Dixon, 1969;Schaeffcr, 1973;Schenck, 1974). Furthermore, we have not found any cystic, dilated mucous glands or tissue fragments with epithelium on both sides, which would indicate a retention cyst pushing sinus mucosa into a sinus cavity.…”

Levels of Intracellular Protein and Messenger RNA of Mucin and Lysozyme in Normal Human Nasal and Polyp Epithelium

“…Hypersecretion of mucus within the nose is a characteristic feature of patients with chronic sinusitis. 11 In chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps, hypersecretion of mucus by polyps is usually considered to be produced mainly by the secondary sinusitis induced by the mass effect of polyps obstructing the natural ostium of the paranasal sinuses. However, it could be suggested that secretory cells in the epithelium of the polyp itself, which is being exposed to various inflammatory mediators, might contribute to increased mucous secretion to a certain extent in chronic sinusitis with polyps.…”

Comparison of nasal and tracheobronchial clearance by similar techniques in normal subjects.

“…For this reason we believe that the rate of movement of a visualised bolus of radioactivity offers the best indicator of nasal mucociliary http://thorax.bmj.com/ Millar, Agnew, Newman, Lopez-Vidriero, Pavia, Clarke is due largely to the extremely rich vascular supply of the nasal mucosa.22 Differences between the nasal and bronchial mucosa in the response to environmental influences have been described in terms of the size and number of goblet cells and mucus glands. 23 The innervation of the bronchial tree continues to be elucidated. Some differences between the response and the presence of a cholinergic, an adrenergic, and a non-cholinergic, non-adrenergic component in the nerve supply of the bronchial24 and nasal mucosa25 have been determined.…”