Abstract: Objective This study aims to investigate the impact of Buqi Yijing Shengxue Chinese herbal medicines, which are known for their generating blood by tonifying Qi and benefiting essence properties, on histone-modifying enzymes in the human erythroid K562 cell line.Methods K562 cells were induced with high and low concentrations of several groups of Chinese herbal medicines, including Buqi Yijing Shengxue drugs, Buqi Shengxue drugs and Yijing Shengxue drugs for blood generating, and sodium butyrate was used as a positive control. The mRNA levels of the γ-globin gene were assessed using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Additionally, cellular HDAC1, HDAC2, and HAT enzyme activity levels were analyzed using an enzyme marker by colorimetric detection methods. The mRNA levels of HDAC1, HDAC2, and HAT genes were determined using the PCR method, while protein levels of these genes were determined via Western Blot.Results Treatment with Chinese herbal medicine and sodium butyrate significantly increased the expression levels of the γ-globin gene in high-dose Qi-tonifying and essence-benefiting group, high-dose Qi-tonifying group, and low-dose essence-benefiting group. Cellular HAT enzyme activity levels were notably higher in high and low-dose Qi-tonifying and essence-benefiting groups, as well as in high and low-dose essence-benefiting groups than in blank control group,while HDAC1 enzyme activity levels in the sodium butyrate group were markedly lower than those recorded in the blank control group. HAT mRNA levels were notably higher in high and low-dose Qi-tonifying and essence-benefiting groups, as well as in high-dose essence-benefiting group than in blank control group. Western Blot outcomes demonstrated that only the HAT protein levels in the high-dose Qi-tonifying and essence-benefiting group and high-dose essence-benefiting group were considerably elevated compared to those in the blank control group.Conclusion The molecular mechanism of Buqi Yijing Shengxue Chinese herbal medicines in the induction of γ-globin in gene expression in the treatment of pediatric β-thalassemia may be related to the regulation of the histone-modifying enzyme, which may be mediated by up-regulating the expression of histone acetyltransferase HAT to enhance histone modification in erythroid cells.

Key words:

β-thalassemia, TCM therapy, γ-globin gene expression, Histone modification