[Relationship between glucocorticoid receptors and glucocorticoid resistance in children with idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura].
OBJECTIVE
To identify the relationship between the expression of alpha and beta-isoforms of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and glucocorticoid resistance in children with idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP).


METHODS
Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of GR alpha and GR beta mRNA in PBMC from 30 children with ITP (glucocorticoid-sensitive, n=18; glucocorticoid-resistant, n=12) and 10 healthy children (control group). Enzyme immunoassay was used to measure plasma levels of total glucocorticoids.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in PBMC GR alpha mRNA levels among the glucocorticoid sensitive, the glucocorticoid-resistant and the control groups. Compared with the glucocorticoid-sensitive and the control groups, the expression of GR beta mRNA in the glucocorticoid-resistant group was significantly up-regulated (p<0.01). Plasma total glucocorticoids level in the glucocorticoid-resistant group was found to be much higher than that in the glucocorticoid-sensitive and the control groups (p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The up-regulated expression of GR beta mRNA may associated with glucocorticoid resistance in children with ITP.
Wang
Ying
Y
Department of Hematology, Shenzhen Children' s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518020, China. ljlwyn@hotmail.com.
Mai
Hui-Rong
HR
Lin
Lin
L
Yuan
Xiu-Li
XL
Shi
Hong-Song
HS
Liu
Si-Xi
SX
Li
Chang-Gang
CG
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid