The pathophysiology of β- thalassemia is the imbalance of the α and non-α globin chain which leads to a series of clinical symptoms of hemolytic anemia. Scientists continuously try to explore gene-activated drugs to increase the level of non-α globin chain or decrease the level of α globin chain in the treatment of β- thalassemia. To probe into the effects on globin-gene expression of meisoindigo(Me) in cultured erythroid cells derived from peripheral blood, so as to provide the theoretical basis for applying Me in the treatment of β- thalassemia.

By using the two-step liquid culture of erythroid progenitor cells and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and by using α mRNA as an inner control, the level of γ mRNA and β mRNA in cultured erythroid cells derived from peripheral blood of 11 patients with severe β-thalassemia and 6 normal volunteers were measured under the effect of different concentration (2.5 μmol/L, 5 μmol/L and 10 μmol/L) of Me.

(1) No statistic significance was found in the ratio of β/α mRNA by Me in cultured cells from both normal individuals and β- thalassemia. (2) Me can significantly increase the ratio of γ/α mRNA and (β+ γ)/α mRNA(that is non-α/α mRNA) in cultured cells from normal individuals and β-thalassemia. The ratio of γ/α mRNA was increased 0.31~0.45 times and the ratio of non-α mRNA/α mRNA increased 0.21~0.32 times in Me induced cells from normal individuals. No significant result was observed among the different concentrations of Me (2.5 μmol/L, 5 μmol/L and 10 μmol/L) in normal individuals. With the increasing of Me concentrations, the ratios of γ/α mRNA and α/α mRNA were increased in cultured cells from β- thalassemia. The ratio of γ/α mRNA was increased 0.33~1.17 times and the ratio of non-α/α mRNA increased 0.25~0.89 times in Me induced cells from β- thalassemia. There was no significant difference between the concentrations of 2.5 μmol/L and 5 μmol/L concentration in β- thalassemia. However, there was significant difference between the concentrations of 10 μmol/L and the concentrations of 2.5 μmol/L and 5 μmol/L in β- thalassemia. (3) The increase of the ratio of γ/α mRNA and non-α/α mRNA in β- thalassemia was higher than that in normal individual with induction by Me with a higher concentration (10 μmol/L).

Me can raise the ratio of γ/α mRNA and non-α/α mRNA in cultured erythroid cells derived from peripheral blood of both normal individual and β- thalassemia in the level of transcription, which can improve the imbalance of the α and non-α globin chain. So Me has a latent value in the therapy of β- thalassemia.

beta-Thalassemia; Globins; Gene expression; Indoles