Application of gene differential expression technology in the mechanism studies of nature product-derived drugs.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) efficacy is a comprehensive result of influences of complex chemical components contained in TCM having on different targets at gene, cell, and tissue levels. Multi-component, multi-target, and multi-level characteristics cause barriers to molecular mechanism research of TCM. The emergence of gene differential expression technology provides a strong arm for TCM study, which enables researchers to assay target-genetic differential expression after TCM treatment in high-throughput manner. AREAS COVERED Focused and comprehensive literature and references are undertaken to introduce the technologies at gene level and at protein level. The former includes genechip, semi-quantitative/fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction), northern blot, etc. The latter includes western blot, immunohistochemistry, ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), etc. The literature reviews applications of technologies above in TCM mechanisms research over the past decade and also makes a comparison of different technologies for reference. EXPERT OPINION Although gene differential expression technology has obvious advantages in studying the mechanism of TCM, biotechnology should be further explored to meet the requirements of TCM investigation.