| Objective To construct the theoretical basis of yin deficiency constitution. To study on peripheral blood gene expression profile in the yin deficiency constitution by gene chip technique. To observe the changes of endocrine function and immune function in subjects with yin deficiency constitution and explore the relationship between the biochemical indexes and the yin deficiency constitution.Methods By the methods of the traditional literature research and the contemporary literature analysis,we investigate the cognition of yin deficiency constitution in the last time,the presentation and determination,the formative factor,the regulating method,the health cultivation of yin deficiency constitution,and the difference and relation of yin deficiency constitution and yin deficiency syndrome.Eight cases of yin deficiency constitution and six cases of normal constitution were selected according to determinant criterion of yin deficiency constitution and normal constitution. Ten milliliters of fasting venous blood were collected from each subject. The white blood cells were isolated,then the total RNA was extracted,purified and amplified. The complementary RNA was labeled with biotin. The gene expression profile of peripheral blood was detected with Affymetrix Gene Chip Human Genome U133+2.0 and the biological functions of differentially expressed genes were evaluated.Sixty subjects with yin deficiency constitution and fifty ones with normal constitution were selected according to determinant criterion of yin deficiency constitution and normal constitution on the basis of epidemiology investigation. Eight milliliters of fasting venous blood were collected from each subject at eight o'clock to nine o'clock. The sera were separated by five minutes of centrifugation at 3000 r/min,and they were stored at temperature of -70℃.The serum levels of corticosterone,cortisol,adrenocorticotrophic hormone,cyclic adenosine monophosphate,cyclic guanosine monophosphate,free triiodothyronine,free thyroxine,thyrotropic-stimulating hormone,interleukin-1βand interleukin-2 were assayed using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay,the cAMP/cGMP ratio was computed,and the difference of above-mentioned indexes was statistically analyzed between yin deficiency constitution and normal constitution.Results Yin deficiency constitution is one of the common types of constitution which is affected by congenital heredity,acquired predisposition,social factor,etc. Fever and drying are its principal characters.1142 probe sets of differentially expressed genes were identified between the yin deficiency constitution and the normal constitution. Of the 1142 probe sets,645 were up-regulated and 497 down-regulated. As q<0.05,there were 116 biological functions in GO annotation,22 pathways in KEGG analysis,87 pathways in GenMAPP analysis and 30 pathways in bioCartr analysis.The serum levels of free triiodothyronine of yin deficiency constitution significantly increased compared with those of normal constitution,and the serum levels of cortisol,adrenocorticotrophic hormone,cyclic guanosine monophosphate and free thyroxine of yin deficiency constitution significantly decreased in comparison with those of normal constitution. The serum levels of cortisol of yin deficiency constitution significantly increased compared with those of yang deficiency constitution,and the serum levels of corticosterone and cyclic adenosine monophosphate of yin deficiency constitution significantly decreased in comparison with those of yang deficiency constitution. Conclusions Complementing yin and clearing away heat are the main methods for regulating yin deficiency constitution. Invigorating the spleen and promoting the flow of qi at the same time.There were significant differences of peripheral blood gene expression profile between the yin deficiency constitution and the normal constitution. Inflammatory reaction of yin deficiency constitution is severer than normal constitution. The biosynthesis and metabolism function strengthen,but the enzymatic activity,the gene expression process and the growth and development have downtrend.Yin deficiency constitution might be related with the functional disorder of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis as well as the functional disorder of cyclic nucleotide system and immune system. |
