[Deficient mRNA expression of specific protein 3 gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with multiple sclerosis].
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the deficiency of the mRNA expression of specific protein (SP3) gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from Chinese patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and study its correlation with the disease phenotypes.


METHODS
Fifty-six patients with definite MS were collected and total RNA was extracted from their PBMCs. Specific primers corresponding to SP3 gene were designed and the mRNA expression of SP3 gene was detected by reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) method. The deficiency of SP3 expression was compared among MS patients, irrelevant disease group and normal controls.


RESULTS
Of the 56 MS cases, 23 (41.1%) were SP3-deficient. In contrast, the frequency of SP3-deficiency in normal subjects and irrelevant disease controls was 8.6% (5/35) and 14.3% (4/27), respectively. The frequency of the SP3-expression deficiency in MS patients was significantly higher than that in both control groups (P< 0.01). Within the MS cases, the scores of expanded disability status scale (EDSS) in the SP3-expressing subjects were significantly different from that in the SP3-deficient ones in the stable, but not in the active, phase of MS (P< 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Author's observation suggested that deficient expression of SP3 gene occurs in Chinese MS patients, and that the SP3 expression may correlate with the clinical manifestations of MS and play roles in its immunological pathogenesis.
Lin
Ai-yu
AY
Department of Neurology, the Affiliated First Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350005 P. R. China. aiyulina@yahoo.com.cn
Yang
Qi-dong
QD
Murong
Shen-xing
SX
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051705:Sp3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051705:Sp3 Transcription Factor