title: Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO): more than just the correction of uremic anemia.
abstract: Hematopoiesis is controlled by numerous interdependent humoral and endocrine factors. Erythropoietin (EPO), a hydrophobic sialoglycoproteic hormone, plays a crucial role in the regulation of hematopoiesis, and induces proliferation, maturation and differentiation of the erythroid cell line precursors. Thanks to recombinant DNA techniques, different recombinant hormones can now be produced at low cost and in large amounts. This has led to greater understanding of the pathophysiological factors regulating hematopoiesis. This in turn, hasprompted the search for new therapeutic approaches. EPO might also be used to treat patients with different types of anemia: uremics, newborns, patients with anemia from cancer or myeloproliferative disease, thalassemia, bone marrow transplants, chronic infectious diseases. Besides erythroid cells, EPO affects other blood cell lines, such as myeloid cells, lymphocytes and megakaryocytes. It can also enhance polymorphonuclear cell phagocytosis and reduce macrophage activation, thus modulating the inflammatory process. Hematopoietic and endothelial cells probably have the same origin, and the discovery of eyrthropoietin receptors also on mesangial, myocardial and smooth muscle cells has prompted research into the non-erythropoietic function of the hormone. EPO has an important, direct, hemodynamic and vasoactive effect, which does not depend only on an increase in hematocrit and viscosity. Moreover, EPO and its receptors have been found in the brain, suggesting a role in preventing neuronal death. Finally, the recently discovered interaction between EPO and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and the ability of EPO to stimulate endothelial cell mitosis and motility may be of importance in neovascularization and wound healing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Messina, Italy. Buemim@Unime.it
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buemi
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aloisi
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cavallaro
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Corica
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Floccari
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lasco
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pettinato
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruello
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sturiale
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Frisina
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009196:Myeloproliferative Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012769:Shock / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin