title: Beta-globin mRNA increases rapidly during erythropoietin treatment.
abstract: Recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEpo) has an important role in the treatment of anaemic patients. Because of the high cost of r-HuEpo treatment, an early indicator of whether a patient is responding to the therapy would be valuable. Although measurement of gene expression is a promising new tool, it has not yet been established in clinical practice. The response pattern of a possible new marker, beta-globin mRNA, is compared with reticulocyte count, levels of haemoglobin, transferrin receptor and ferritin after r-HuEpo treatment. Eight healthy volunteers were stimulated with erythropoietin three times a week for four weeks and compared with five untreated control subjects. Blood samples were collected before each erythropoietin injection. Quantitative measurement of beta-globin mRNA was performed by poly(A) selection onto a manifold plastic support, coated with oligo(dT). The mRNA was reverse transcribed, followed by quantitative analysis using PCR via the 5' nuclease assay. The individuals treated with rHuEpo showed a more distinct increase in beta-globin mRNA levels than all other laboratory measurements. Beta-globin mRNA levels are therefore promising as a marker for the response to treatment with Epo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala Academic Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hagberg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbany
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Landegren
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Birgegård
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics*; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017701:Reticulocyte Count; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D005914:Globins; D005293:Ferritins