The Effect of K-ATP Channel Blockage During Erythropoietin Treatment in Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

ATP dependent K channels (K-ATP) take part in the Erythropoietin (EPO) induced cardioprotection but these channel activations have role in cytoprotective role of EPO in the renal ischemia reperfusion (IR) damage is still unknown. For this purpose rats were pretreated with EPO (500 IU/kg) and/or K-ATP channel blocker glibenclamide (40mM/kg) i.p. before bilateral renal IR damage. Renal tissues were used for histological examination and measurement of caspase-3 and TNF-α levels. Renal functions were evaluated by glomerular filtration rate (GFR) fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) and potassium (FEK). Renal TNF-α and caspase-3 levels were decreased in both glibenclamide and EPO-treated IR rats compared to untreated rats. The protection afforded by the pretreatment with EPO alone was greater than that of administering glibenclamide alone. Application of glibenclamide at the same time partly abolished the cytoprotective effect of EPO treatment. K-ATP mediated cytoprotection is not the main mechanism of protective effect of EPO.     

Erythropoiesis and chronic kidney disease–related anemia: From physiology to new therapeutic advancements

Erythropoiesis is triggered by hypoxia and is strictly regulated by hormones, growth factors, cytokines, and vitamins to ensure an adequate oxygen delivery to all body cells. Abnormalities in one or more of these factors may induce different kinds of anemia requiring different treatments. A key player in red blood cell production is erythropoietin. It is a glycoprotein hormone, mainly produced by the kidneys, that promotes erythroid progenitor cell survival and differentiation in the bone marrow and regulates iron metabolism. A deficit in erythropoietin synthesis is the main cause of the normochromic normocytic anemia frequently observed in patients with progressive chronic kidney disease. The present review summarizes the most recent findings about each step of the erythropoietic process, going from the renal oxygen sensing system to the cascade of events induced by erythropoietin through its own receptor in the bone marrow. The paper also describes the new class of drugs designed to stabilize the hypoxia-inducible factor by inhibiting prolyl hydroxylase, with a discussion about their metabolism, disposition, efficacy, and safety. According to many trials, these drugs seem able to simulate tissue hypoxia and then stimulate erythropoiesis in patients affected by renal impairment. In conclusion, the in-depth investigation of all events involved in erythropoiesis is crucial to understand anemia pathophysiology and to identify new therapeutic strategies, in an attempt to overcome the potential side effects of the commonly used erythropoiesis-stimulating agents.     

Lactoferrin Induces Erythropoietin Synthesis and Rescues Cognitive Functions in the Offspring of Rats Subjected to Prenatal Hypoxia

The protective effects of recombinant human lactoferrin rhLF (branded “CAPRABEL™”) on the cognitive functions of rat offspring subjected to prenatal hypoxia (7% O₂, 3 h, 14th day of gestation) have been analyzed. About 90% of rhLF in CAPRABEL was iron-free (apo-LF). Rat dams received several injections of 10 mg of CAPRABEL during either gestation (before and after the hypoxic attack) or lactation. Western blotting revealed the appearance of erythropoietin (EPO) alongside the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) in organ homogenates of apo-rhLF-treated pregnant females, their embryos (but not placentas), and in suckling pups from the dams treated with apo-rhLF during lactation. Apo-rhLF injected to rat dams either during pregnancy or nurturing the pups was able to rescue cognitive deficits caused by prenatal hypoxia and improve various types of memory both in young and adult offspring when tested in the radial maze and by the Novel Object Recognition (NOR) test. The data obtained suggested that the apo-form of human LF injected to female rats during gestation or lactation protects the cognitive functions of their offspring impaired by prenatal hypoxia.     

蛋白激酶C在红细胞生成素介导的早期信号转导中的作用

利用pfosluc 2质粒转染对Epo刺激有反应的ELM-I-1细胞系细胞,测定c-fos表达活性的研究方法观察蛋白激酶C在Epo介导的早期信号转导过程中的作用,c-fos表达活性以光子量表示。pfosluc 2质粒转染的细胞加PMA 50 nmol/L刺激,光子量由2 501±126/1×10~5细胞升高到4272±242/1×10~5细胞(n=3,P<0.001);PMA刺激诱导的c-fos活性表达呈剂量依赖性。以Epo 2 U/ml刺激细胞同时以 PMA 50 nmol/L刺激时,光子增加量明显比单独用Epo和PMA刺激时的光子增加量之和增多,结果提示PMA不仅本身能诱导c-fos表达活性,同时能增强Epo刺激诱导的c-fos表达活性。另一方面蛋白激酶C抑制剂H7明显抑制Epo和PMA诱导的c-fos表达活性,Epo诱导的c-fos表达活性下降57.8％。本研究结果提示蛋白激酶C在Epo介导的早期信号转导过程中具有重要的正性调节作用。     

促红细胞生成素对腹膜透析患者红细胞免疫功能的影响

应用重组人类促红细胞生成素（rHuEPO）治疗终末期尿毒症腹膜透析（CAPD）患者28例，治疗16周，分别检测治疗前后红细胞C3b受体花环率（E·C3bR·R）和红细胞免疫复合物花环率（E·IC·R）。治疗后E·C3bR·R升高，E·IC·R降低，而对照组无变化．提示rHuEPO可改善患者红细胞免疫功能。     

Cutaneous allergic reaction correlates with anti‐erythropoietin antibodies in dialysis patient developing pure red cell aplasia

We describe a case of concomitant erythropoietin allergy and resistance with a possible IgE and IgG‐mediated immune response, in which the local allergic cutaneous symptoms preceded the antibody‐mediated anemia.     

Erythropoietin has an anti-myeloma effect - a hypothesis based on a clinical observation supported by animal studies

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) was introduced into clinical practice more than a decade ago, and has been found to be effective in the treatment of several types of anemia, including anemia of end-stage renal failure and cancer-related anemia. No study has suggested that Epo might have an effect on the biology of the disease, nor any survival advantage to cancer patients treated with Epo for anemia has been reported. Here we report six patients with advanced multiple myeloma (MM) with very poor prognostic features, whose expected survival was <6 months. All six patients were treated with rHuEpo for their anemia, either without any chemotherapy or very mild chemotherapy for a short time. Yet, surprisingly they lived for 45-133 months totally from MM diagnosis and 38-94 months with rHuEpo (with a good quality of life). In fact, one patient, is still alive and well, more than 8 yr after chemotherapy was discontinued because of a resistant aggressive disease. The course in these six MM patients led us to hypothesize that Epo might have an antineoplastic or antimyeloma effect. We proceeded and tested that hypothesis in mouse models of myeloma (Mittelman M et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98:5181,2001). In these models we confirmed that rHuEpo induced tumor regression in about 50% of the BALB/c mice inoculated with MOPC-315 myeloma cells. We then presented evidence that the mechanism is a new immune-mediated phenomenon, via activation of CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, evidence from the literature supports the antineoplastic effect of Epo. Epo might be used as an adjunct immune treatment in various malignant diseases, in addition to the current regimens and chemotherapeutic protocols. Future trials should determine the role of Epo in myeloma and cancer treatment, besides clarifying concerns about the presence of Epo receptors on some tumor cells.     

Detection and quantification of functionally defined hematopoietic progenitor cells and tissue specific mRNA within the peripheral blood of myeloma patients after administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and erythropoietin

Objective:  Hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) as well as tissue committed stem cells expressing mRNA specific to various somatic tissues are thought to be part of the CD34⁺ bone marrow compartment. In this study, we explore and quantify their mobilization in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing chemotherapy upon administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) plus/minus erythropoietin (EPO).
Patients and methods:  HPC were quantified by flow cytometry and functional assays within the blood of healthy donors and myeloma patients before and after chemotherapy followed by G-CSF or G-CSF + EPO given subcutaneously. The mRNA expression was studied by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Cytokines and peripheral blood protease levels were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results:  EPO did not significantly alter the number of HPC mobilized by G-CSF alone, and mRNA specific for liver, brain, muscle and kidney was detected in both treatment groups. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed a 2.7-fold increased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein after G-CSF + EPO administration compared to G-CSF alone ( P  = 0.003). The concentration of G-CSF rose from 62 ± 22 pg/mL and 48 ± 10 pg/mL to 28 ± 9 ng/mL and 85 ± 10 ng/mL after 10 d of treatment with G-CSF and G-CSF + EPO, respectively. The concentration of neutrophil elastase (NE) rose only in the G-CSF group by a factor 1.5.
Conclusion:  The alteration of G-CSF and NE levels as well as the expression of tissue committed RNA after the administration of EPO in addition to G-CSF indicate that different growth factors mobilize different stem cells that might potentially be used for the support of tissue repair in future treatment protocols.