Genomewide DNA Methylation Responses in Patients with β-Thalassemia Treated with Yisui Shengxue Granules (益髓生血颗粒)

• Published in: Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2019-07, Vol.25 (7), p.490-496
• Main Authors: Cheng, Yan-ling, Zhang, Xin-hua, Sun, Yu-wen, Wang, Wen-juan, Huang, Jie, Chu, Na-li, Fang, Su-ping, Wu, Zhi-kui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; beta-Thalassemia - drug therapy; beta-Thalassemia - genetics; DNA Methylation - genetics; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - therapeutic use; Erythrocytes - drug effects; Female; Genome, Human; Hemoglobins - metabolism; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Article; Signal Transduction
• ISSN: 1672-0415; 1993-0402
• DOI: 10.1007/s11655-018-2777-9

Objective To examine the clinical effects of Yisui Shengxue Granules (益髓生血颗粒) in the treatment of β-thalassemia and explore its mechanism on DNA methylation levels. Methods A randomized placebo-controlled double-blinded trial was conducted. Forty patients with β-thalassemia were recruited and distributed randomly by envelope method into an experimental group and a control group, 20 patients in each group. The patients were given Yisui Shengxue Granules in the experimental group and placebo in the control group (12 g/bag three times a day) during a 3-month intervention. Before and after 1, 2, and 3 months of treatment, peripheral intravenous blood was sampled, and blood parameters such as hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cells (RBCs), reticulocytes (Ret), and fetal hemoglobin (HbF) were analyzed. Mononuclear cells from 5 patients, who showed an obvious treatment effect, were isolated by density gradient centrifugation. DNA methylation was analyzed using an Affymetrix USA GeneChip Human Promoter 1.0 Array and Input-promoter 1.0. Results Compared with pre-treatment, there was an obvious increase in Hb and RBCs counts after 1, 2, and 3 months in the experiment group ( P