Research Assistant Professor Northwestern Univ. Feinberg Sch. of Med. Chicago, Illinois, United States
Introduction/Rationale: Olfactory epithelium inflection is associated with olfactory dysfunction, but the specific target cells and regulatory mechanisms in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) remain unclear.
Methods: To explore cellular and molecular mechanism underlying olfactory dysfunction in CRSwNP, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on superior turbinate tissues from 4 control subjects and 3 CRSwNP patients following endoscopic sinus surgery.
Results: We profiled 32,367 cells and distinguished key epithelial cell types, including olfactory epithelium cells (sustentacular, Bowman’s glands, horizontal basal cells, microvillar, and olfactory sensory neuron-like cells) and respiratory epithelium cells (ciliated, seromucous glandular, goblet, ionocytes, and tuft cells). Immune cells such as B cell, T cell, NK, myeloid, mast cells were also identified. Lipocalin 15 (LCN15) and other target proteins were significantly decreased in CRSwNP and may be associated with olfaction dysfunction. GSEA indicated revealed distinct signaling pathway enriched in CRSwNP, suggest disease-specific molecular dysregulating affecting olfactory function.
Conclusion: scRNA-seq of CRSwNP tissues reveals diverse epithelial populations and highlights altered pathways potentially driving olfactory dysfunction. These findings offer new insight into disease mechanisms and may inform future therapeutic strategies.
