[Changes of endocrine and immune function in subjects of yang deficiency constitution].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the changes of endocrine, cyclic nucleotide and immune systems in subjects of yang deficiency constitution, and to explore the relationship among characteristics and causes of yang deficiency constitution, the physiological and biochemical parameters.


METHODS
Based on the diagnostic criteria for the clinical epidemiological investigation, sixty subjects of yang deficiency constitution and fifty of normal constitution were selected. Eight milliliters venous blood were taken from overnight fasted subjects at 8:00-9:00. The sera were obtained by centrifugation of the blood at the speed of 3000 r/min for 5 minutes, and they were stored at -70 degrees C until use. The serum levels of corticosterone, cortisol, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyrotropic-stimulating hormone (TSH), interleukin-1beta and interleukin-2 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; the cAMP/cGMP ratio was also computed; and the differences of the above indexes were compared between the two types of subjects.


RESULTS
The serum levels of corticosterone, interleukin-1beta, TSH and cAMP/cGMP ratio of yang deficiency constitution significantly increased as compared with those of normal constitution, and the serum levels of cortisol, ACTH, cGMP and FT4 of yang deficiency constitution significantly decreased in comparison with those of normal constitution.


CONCLUSIONS
Subjects of yang deficiency constitution may be not only related to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, but also related to the functional disorders of cyclic nucleotide and immune systems.
Wang
Qi
Q
Research Center for Reproduction Medicine and Body Constitution in Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Preclinical Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China. wangqi710@126.com
Yao
Shi-lin
SL
Dong
Jing
J
Wu
Hong-dong
HD
Wu
Cheng-yu
CY
Xia
Zhong-yuan
ZY
Shi
He-feng
HF
Pang
Guo-ming
GM
Deng
Qi-wei
QW
Zhao
Jian-xiong
JX
Cai
Jing
J
Cui
Zheng-zhi
ZZ
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000097:blood; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000097:blood; D004703:Endocrine System; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood; D016711:Yang Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*
D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D013974:Thyroxine; D006854:Hydrocortisone