Expression of transcription factor T-bet/GATA3 in lung cancer patients and its interference by the traditional Chinese herbal medicine / 中华肿瘤杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the relation between the expression of transcription factor T-bet/GATA3 and Th1/Th2 type cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from lung cancer patients and their interference by the traditional Chinese herbal medicine.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The gene expression of Th1/Th2 type cytokine IFN gamma, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, transcription factor T-bet/GATA3 and tumor tissue specific mRNA CEA, CK19 in PBMC from lung cancer patients were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction RT-PCR. Meanwhile, the change of IFN gamma, IL-4, T-bet and GATA3 in PBMC before and after being cultured with the traditional Chinese herbal medicine-Astragulus and Tetramethylpyrazine was also observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Predominant expression of Th2 type cytokines was detected in 42 lung cancer patients. The positive rates of IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IFN gamma and IL-2 were 27/42, 24/42, 31/42, 4/42 and 5/42, respectively. But, the positive rates of transcription factor T-bet and GATA3 were 16/42 and 34/42. Moreover, the expression intensity of T-bet was lower in the CEA and CK19 positive patients than the negative ones. On the contrary, the expression intensity of GATA3 was significantly higher in the same patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Predominant expression of Th2 type cytokines may be related to lower expression of T-bet or higher expression of GATA3. This condition can be interfered by the traditional Chinese herbal medicine-Astragulus and Tetramethylpyrazine.</p>