Fibrocytes as Key Mediators of Type 2 Inflammation in East Asian CRSwNP

Sunday, October 12, 2025

10:18 AM - 10:24 AM EDT

Location: 125

Disclosure(s):

Chun-Kang Liao, MD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Introduction: East Asian patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps (CRSwNP) present with a heterogeneous inflammatory profile, where up to 40-60% exhibit Type 2 inflammation. The contribution of specific cell types to this inflammatory environment remains unclear.

Methods: Nasal polyp tissue was collected from 10 CRSwNP patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery following informed consent. Eosinophil levels (eosinophils per high-power field, HPF) were quantified on pathological slides. Single-cell suspensions of nasal polyp specimens were stained using 29 markers, and six cell populations (fibrocytes, ciliated cells, goblet cells, basal cells, neutrophils, and eosinophils) were evaluated for the expression of three Type 2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13). Data were acquired via multiparameter cytometry on the Sony ID7000 platform.

Results: Fibrocytes exhibited significantly elevated IL-4 and IL-13 expression compared to the other cell types (p < 0.005 and p< 0.0001, respectively), except for IL-13 levels in goblet cells, which were similar. By contrast, IL-5 expression was comparable across all studied cell types. There were no detectable differences in fibrocyte-derived Type 2 cytokine expression between eosinophilic (>10 eosinophils/HPF) and non-eosinophilic groups.

Conclusions: In this East Asian CRSwNP cohort, fibrocytes emerged as a prominent source of Type 2 cytokines regardless of eosinophilic status. These findings highlight a potentially critical role for fibrocytes in the pathophysiology of CRSwNP in East Asian populations and suggest that further research targeting fibrocytes may be warranted.

Presenting Author(s)

Chun-Kang Liao, MD

Dr.
Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital Yunlin branch, Yunlin, Taiwan
Taipei, Yunlin, Taiwan (Republic of China)

Disclosure(s):
faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Co-Author(s)

Chih-Feng Ethan Lin, MD

Attending
National Taiwan University Hospital
Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan (Republic of China)

Disclosure information not submitted.
YL

Yi-Tsen Lin, MD, PhD

Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (Republic of China)

Disclosure information not submitted.
CW

Chih-Ming Weng, PhD

School of Respiratory Therapy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (Republic of China)

Disclosure information not submitted.
HK

Han-Pin Kuo, MD, PhD

College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (Republic of China)

Disclosure information not submitted.

Senior Author(s)

Te-Huei Yeh, MD

Pr.
Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Zhubei city, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.