Human respiratory tract secretions. 1. Mucous glycoproteins secreted by cultured nasal polyp epithelium from subjects with allergic rhinitis and with cystic fibrosis.

Ciliated nasal polyp epithelium from patients with allergic rhinitis and patients with 
cystic fibrosis was maintained in organ culture for 168 hours. Explanted 
epithelium retained its morphologic characteristics and incorporated 35SO4 and 3H into 
blood group specific glycoproteins that were secreted into the medium throughout 
the culture period. Labeled mucous glycoprotein was solubilized by reduction and 
alkylation, then purified by gel filtration chromatography. Purified glycoprotein was further 
separated on diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) cellulose columns into 3 blood group active 
fractions. These fractions had similar amino acid compositions but differed in 
N-acetyl neuraminic acid and fucose content and in relative incorporation of 
35SO4 and 3H-glucosamine. Blood group glycoproteins from polyp epithelium of patients 
with allergic rhinitis and cystic fibrosis were indistinguishable in many respects. 
However, the 35SO4 per 3H ratio of all 3 glycoprotein fractions 
from patients with cystic fibrosis exceeded that of the corresponding fractions 
from secretions of patients with allergic rhinitis. 