[Study on the differential gene expression of peripheral CD4+ among rheumatoid arthritis patients of cold or heat syndrome type with or without rheumatoid factor].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the differential gene expression of peripheral CD4+ among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients of cold or heat syndrome type with or without rheumatoid factor (RF).


METHODS
Differential gene expression of peripheral CD4+ lymphocytes purified from fasting venous blood of RA patients and healthy subjects was studied using gene chip technique.


RESULTS
There were 55 differential genes between RA patients with and without RF, mainly involving those related with immune response and signal transduction. In patients with RF, 71 differential genes, mainly related with functional metabolism and immune response, and in those without RF, 70 related with functional metabolism were found between patients of cold and heat syndrome type respectively, all of them were not repetitive with the above-mentioned 55, and only 2 were found repetitive between the 70 and the 71 differential genes, mainly involving functional metabolism.


CONCLUSIONS
The differential genes between RA patients with or without RF are different with those between patients of heat and cold syndrome type, suggesting the TCM syndrome classification has its own basis of gene expression profile.
Xiao
Cheng
C
Institute of Basic Theory, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700.
Zhao
Lin-hua
LH
Lu
Cheng
C
D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor