[Astragalus polysaccharides-induced gamma-globin mRNA expression in K562 cells].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) in inducing the mRNA expression of Agamma- and Ggamma-globin in K562 cells.

METHODS

K562 cells were treated with APS at the concentration of 150, 300, and 450 mg/L, with Na-butyrate (NaB)-treated cells serving as the positive control and untreated cells as the blank control. Benzidine staining was used to examine the changes in hemoglobin synthesis in K562 cells after the treatments, and RT-PCR was employed to investigate the mRAN expression of Agamma- and Ggamma-globin.

RESULTS

Compared with the untreated cells, APS treatment (300 mg/L) for 48 h resulted in a significant increase of the percentages of benzidine-positive cells from (4.37-/+0.58)% to (15.67-/+1.80)%, and also in significantly increased expression of Agamma-globin and Ggamma-globin mRNAs by 3.59-/+0.16 and 5.02-/+0.81 folds, respectively (P=0.000).

CONCLUSIONS

APS potently enhances the mRNA expression of Agamma- and Ggamma-globin in K562 cells and warrants further evaluation as a potential therapeutic agent for beta-thalassemia.