Para identificar, quantificar e correlacionar os eosinófilos, mastócitos, miofibroblastos e células TGF-beta positivas nos pólipos nasais de pacientes com e sem asma foi realizado a imunoistoquímica. A quantidade de eosinófilos, miofibroblastos e células TGF-beta positivas esteve aumentada no pólipo nasal de indivíduos asmáticos. O número de mastócitos não mostrou diferença entre os grupos. O miofibroblasto foi o denominador comum na correlação entre eosinófilos, mastócitos, células TGF-beta positivas e presença de asma

Introduction: Nasal polyposis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa or paranasal sinuses characterized by the formation of benign polyps. The pathogenesis is not known, although nasal polyps are associated with several systemic diseases, with asthma being the most frequent. The aim of the present study was to identify, quantify, compare and correlate eosinophils, mast cells, myofibroblasts and TGF-ß-positive cells in nasal polyps of patients with and without asthma. Material and Methods: Seventy-eight subjects with nasal polyps undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery were selected. Control specimens were obtained from eight subjects with a normal sinus mucosa. One group consisted of polyps from 56 patients with asthma and the other of polyps from 22 patients without asthma. Immunohistochemistry was performed using monoclonal antibodies against eosinophil cationic protein to stain eosinophils, against tryptase to stain mast cells, against alpha-smooth muscle actin to stain myofibroblasts, and against TGF-ß to stain TGF-ß-positive cells. Results: The number of eosinophils, myofibroblasts and TGF-ß-positive cells was significantly higher in the asthma group than in the nonasthma group, whereas no significant difference in the number of mast cells was observed between the two groups. The number of eosinophils, mast cells, myofibroblasts and TGF-ß-positive cells was significantly higher in nasal polyps than in the control group. Myofibroblasts showed a significant correlation with eosinophils, mast cells, TGF-ß-positive cells, and asthma. Conclusion: Eosinophils, mast cells, myofibroblasts and TGF-ß-positive cells were identified in all nasal polyps, although the number of eosinophils, myofibroblasts and TGF-ß-positive cells was higher in the asthma group. The number of mast cells was similar regardless of the presence or absence of asthma. Myofibroblasts were a common denominator in the correlation between eosinophils, mast cells, TGF-ß-positive cells, and asthma