Yozo Saito

Characteristics of Capillary Permeability in Nasal Mucosa

The transendothelial passage of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and colloidal carbon and diffusion of HRP in pericapillary space, injected intravenously into rats, was studied at the light microscopic and ultrastructural level in the nasal mucosa. In the lamina propria of the mucosa in the middle third of the nasal septum of rats, the capillaries directly beneath the epithelium were mostly with fenestrae, while the capillaries around the nasal gland were without the fenestrae. The permeability of the capillaries in the lamina propria of the nasal mucosa was very high and some of the endothelial cells were wide open, like liver sinusoid, allowing free passage of carbon particles. Marked transendothelial passage was also noted at ten seconds after HRP infusion through the capillaries without fenestrae located around the nasal gland. On the other hand, no extracapillary leakage of HRP was noted even at 150 seconds after its infusion in the capillaries without fenestrae located in the muscles. The permeability of small venules located in the lamina propria of nasal mucosa also was extremely high. The reasons for the greater permeation of HRP through capillaries of nasal mucosa are as follows. First, the endothelial cell junction was loose in the nasal mucosa and in some capillaries endothelium had holes like liver sinusoid. Second, interstitium surrounding the capillary was loose in nasal mucosa.

Eosinophilic leucocytes in nasal allergy—movement of enzymes

The changes in peroxidase of the granules of eosinophils were examined in cells in the nasal mucous membranes of persons allergic to house dust.

Seasonal variations of total histamine in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis

Seasonal variations of total blood histamine were examined in twenty patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (Japanese cedar pollinosis). In blood specimens taken in the pollen season of 1978, the symptom‐free season of 1978. and the pollen season of 1979, the mean values of blood histamine were 61.6, 50.0 and 84.2 ng/ml respectively. The differences in blood histamine levels between the pollen season of 1978 and the symptom‐free season of 1978 and between the symptom‐free season of 1978 and the pollen season of 1979 were statistically significant. In the symptom‐free season of 1978, the blood histamine levels of twenty normal subjects were also examined: the mean value was 58.2 ng/ml. The blood histamine levels of the patients in the symptom‐free season were not statistically different from those of the normal subjects.

The effect of sodium cromoglycate on the antigen‐induced nasal reaction in allergic rhinitis as measured by rhinomanometry and symptomatology

The protective effect of sodium cromoglycate (DSCG) on the allergic reaction in the nose was compared with placebo in a double blind crossover study of sixteen patients diagnosed as allergic rhinitis.