Overview
During this project, the investigators want to explore in vitro changes in basal cells and the crosstalk with residing immune cells as potential pathogenic mechanisms in CRSwNP vs healthy controls by using surgically resected patient samples.
Description
The investigators want to use patient and healthy control samples to study/compare the following aspects in vitro:
- Investigate differences in epithelial and basal cell functions and differentiation characteristics.
- Characterize the differences in epithelial cell populations and gene expression patterns. Also include an AR subset, to see if changes are specific for CRSwNP or more general for type 2 inflammatory disease of the upper airways.
- Investigate basal cell activation via different environmental triggers through TLR stimulation.
- Look at the genetic imprinting of basal cells before and after being exposed to specific triggers.
- Investigate whether the secreted proteins from basal cells are chemotactic for other cell populations.
- Investigate the interaction between basal and regulatory T cells.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Patients over the age of 18
- Males and females
Exclusion Criteria:
- CRSwNP
- AR
- Smoker, or < 1-year ex-smoker
- Underlying systematic pathology (Morbus Wegener or Churg Strauss Syndrome for example)