[Changes in T-cell receptor repertoire in aplastic anemia and effects of Shengxue Mixture].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the immune pathogenesis of aplastic anemia (AA) and the therapeutic effects of Shengxue Mixture (SM) through the gene expressions of subfamilies of T-cell receptor variable region beta (TCR Vbeta) using immunologic and molecular biologic technology.


METHODS
Gene expressions of TCR Vbeta sub-families in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 20 AA patients were detected before and after treatment with SM using RT-PCR and gene scanning method.


RESULTS
TCR Vbeta gene repertoire of the 24 subfamily genes deviated in AA patients, and the oligoclonal gene expressions increased obviously compared with those in healthy people (P < 0.01), including Vbeta2, 5, 6, 15, 16, 22, and 23 were found in 30%-50% AA patients, and Vbeta8, 21 were in more than 50% patients. These oligoclonal genes reduced significantly after treatment with SM compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Multiple TCR Vbeta subfamilies of clonal proliferation participate in the pathogenesis of AA. SM can rectify the deviation of TCR Vbeta gene repertoire, reduce the abnormal clonal proliferation of T cells, thus to alleviate the immune injury to hematopoietic tissue, and thus to benefit the recovery of hematopoiesis of bone marrow.
Zhou
Yong-ming
YM
Yueyang Hospital of Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine Affiliated to Shanghai University of TCM, Shanghai. yongmingz@sohu.com
Wei
Xue-li
XL
Lu
Jia-hui
JH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta