This is a progress report on myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) treatment with Chinese medicine containing arsenic in clinic and DNA methylation.Thousands of patients with MDS have been treated by Chinese medicine containing arsenic and 80 ％ total effective rate was got.A few of patients had discontinued the treatment more than one year and all of their blood indicators were normal level.Abnormal methylation in MDS appeared not only obvious hypermethylation but also hypomethylation of some genes.Our research revealed that the mechanism of Chinese medicine containing arsenic on MDS was a two-way regulation of DNA with main mechanism of demethylating and part mechanism of methylating.

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of clonal heterogeneous disorders of hematopoietic/progenitor.There are differences between Chinese and Western on cytogenetic typing of MDS.The arsenic-containing Chinese herbal formula Qinghuang powder is exact effective in the treatment of MDS.The clinical effect mechanism research indicated that treatment with arsenic-containing Chinese herbal formula had no effect on karyotype status,but resulted in a significant genome wide demethylation.The effective arsenic-concentration in blood is (19.39±10.36) μg/L,which is obviously lower than that in treating APL.

Bone Marrow ; immunology ; pathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Hematopoietic System ; immunology ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Phytotherapy

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are heterogeneous clonal stem cell disorders characterised not only by peripheral cytopenia and bone marrow hyperplasia but also by karyotype. The course of disease, clinical outcome and response to treatment. Cytogenetic categories is a pattern typing the intrinsical features of MDS. It is suggested here that investigating biological characters and group treatment in MDS based on cytogenetic categories may enhance the therapeutic effect and bring benefit to MDS patients.

Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Arsenicals ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; drug therapy ; Oxides ; therapeutic use

Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes ; complications ; immunology ; therapy ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Thrombocytopenia ; complications ; immunology ; therapy

Anemia, Aplastic ; drug therapy ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; drug therapy ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; drug therapy

Hematology ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine

Hematologic Diseases ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Terminology as Topic

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Qinghuang Powder (QHP) combined Chinese herbs for Pi-strengthening and Shen-reinforcing (CHPSSR) on hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) in bone marrow mononuclear cells of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients.

METHODSChanges of HIF-1alpha in bone marrow mononuclear cells of MDS patients were detected in 25 MDS patients treated by QHP combined CHPSSR using flow cytometry. Meanwhile, 13 healthy subjects were recruited as the control group. Changes HIF-1alpha levels in various serial bone marrow mononuclear cells were detected.

RESULTS(1) Among the 25 patients in the treatment group, there were 19 patients effective and 6 patients ineffective, with the total effective rate being 76%. (2) Compared with before treatment, levels of peripheral blood WBC, Hb, PLT, and ANC significantly increased in the treatment group after treatment, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). (3) Compared with before treatment, the HIF-1alpha mean fluorescence intensity was enhanced in bone marrow lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes, and nucleated red blood cells of the treatment group after treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the HIF-1alpha mean fluorescence intensity was weakened in bone marrow lymphocytes, monocytes, and nucleated red blood cells of the treatment group before treatment; while it was obviously enhanced in granulocytes (P < 0.01). But after treatment the HIF-1alpha mean fluorescence intensity increased more in the granulocytes of the treatment group than in those of the control group (P < 0.01), but there was no statistical difference in bone marrow lymphocytes, monocytes, or nucleated red blood cells.

CONCLUSIONQHP combined CHPSSR could improve HIF-1alpha levels in bone marrow lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes, and nucleated red blood cells of MDS patients, thus improving Hb levels of MDS patients, and improving their anemia and correlated symptoms.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Arsenicals ; therapeutic use ; Bone Marrow ; Bone Marrow Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Monocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Young Adult