Study on the Relationship Between Sensitivity to Glucocorticoid and Glucocorticoid Receptor Isoform in Patients with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura

Objective To investigate the relationship between sensitivity to glucocorticoid and glu- cocorticoid receptor(GR)isoforms in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)isolated from patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura(ITP).Methods Real Time quantitative RT-PCR and immunocyto- chemical assay were used to measure the expression of and isoforms of glucocorticoid receptors(GRαand GRβ)in PBMC isolated from glucocorticoid-seasitive and resistant ITP patients as well as normal control groups.The expression of GRαand GRβat mRNA and protein level among these groups were further ana- lyzed and statistically compared.Results It was found that the mRNA level of GRβin PBMC isolated from glucocorticoid-resistant ITP patients was significantly higher than that from glucocorticoid-sensitive ITP pa- tients as well as coatrol groups(P0.01).Furthermore,the ratio of GRβ-positive PBMC was dramatically higher in glucocorticoid-resistant ITP group in comparison with that in glucocorticoid-sensitive and control groups(P0.01).However,the mRNA and protein level of GRαshowed little ditierence among these groups.Concldusion The response of ITP patieats to glucocorticoid treatment maybe closely associated with GRβexpression in their PBMC.