Inhibitory Effects of S-carboxymethylcystein on Goblet Cell Proliferation in Cultured Epithelium.

Background: The influence of S-carboxymethylcystein (S-CMC) on the proliferation ability of goblet cells in nasal polyp epithelium in response to inflammatory stimulation was examined. Methods: The subjects were patients with chronic paranasal sinusitis. An epithelial cell culture system was established using nasal polyp mucosa excised during endoscopic paranasal sinus surgery. The samples were divided into 4 groups (group a: control group, group b: 10 ng/mL tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) treatment group, group c: 10(-7) M S-CMC and 10 ng/mL TNF-alpha treatment group, group d: 10(-5) M S-CMC and 10 ng/mL TNF-alpha treatment group). The total number of epithelial cells and number of goblet cells were measured under a microscope, and the ratio of goblet cells to the total number of epithelial cells was calculated. Results: In group b, 10 ng/mL of TNF-alpha significantly increased the number of goblet cells compared with group a, suggesting involvement of TNF-alpha in goblet cell proliferation. In addition, the number of goblet cells significantly decreased in group d compared with that in group b, and it also decreased in group c compared with that in group b, although the difference was not significant, and the decrease was smaller than that in group d, suggesting that S-CMC inhibited goblet cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusion: TNF-a promoted goblet cell proliferation in nasal polyps, suggesting its influence on nasal polyp formation. As S-CMC inhibited inflammatory stimulation-induced goblet cell proliferation in nasal polyp epithelium, it may be useful for the treatment of sinusitis.