Study on relationship between the thickness of tongue fur and the expressions of apoptosis-related genes of the tongue epithelial cells in patients with diseases of the digestive system.
To investigate the relationship between the thickness of tongue fur, apoptosis of the tongue fur epithelial cells and expressions of apoptosis-related genes in diseases of the digestive system, apoptosis-related genes TGF-beta3, fas mRNA and protein products were detected with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyurine triphosphate (d-UTP) nick-end labeling (TUNEL) technique, in situ hybridization, immunohistochemical methods, and image analysis technique, respectively. Results indicated that compared with the normal tongue fur, over-expression of fas gene was found in the peeling fur with an increase in cell apoptosis, while a low-expression of TGF-beta3 in the thick fur with a decrease in cell apoptosis. The changes in expression levels of fas and TGF-beta3 genes, apoptosis-promoting genes in the tongue fur epithelial cells, had a similar tendency of cell apoptosis level. It is concluded that the changes in expression levels of fas and TGF-beta3 are possibly important reasons influencing apoptosis of epithelial cells of tongue fur and leading to changes in thickness of the tongue fur.
Wu
Zhengzhi
Z
Shenzhen Clinical Institute of Chinese Medicine Integrated with Western Medicine, Shenzhen Nanfang Medical University, Shenzhen 518031, China.
Li
Ming
M
Zhang
Yongfeng
Y
Chen
Manyin
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D014059:Tongue / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D053782:Transforming Growth Factor beta3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D053782:Transforming Growth Factor beta3