Erythropoietin prevents hypoxia/ischemia-induced DNA fragmentation in an experimental model of perinatal asphyxia.
Erythropoietin (EPO) prevents neuronal damage following ischemic, metabolic and excitotoxic stress. Recent studies have shown that EPO plays a significant role in the developing brain. The present study investigates the effect of EPO administration on hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and the possibility that its neuroprotective action may be associated with anti-apoptotic activity. Seven-day-old rats were treated with EPO (2000 U/kg) and subjected to a modified Levine procedure. EPO administration before the hypoxic-ischemic insult significantly reduces the severity of brain damage and improved the short-term functional brain recovery. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling and DNA electrophoresis displayed no evidence of DNA fragmentation in EPO-treated animals. These results suggest that EPO might protect the neonatal rat brain by anti-apoptotic mechanisms.
Spandou
Evangelia
E
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece. spandou@med.auth.gr
Soubasi
Vassiliki
V
Papoutsopoulou
Stamatia
S
Karkavelas
George
G
Simeonidou
Constantina
C
Kaiki-Astara
A
A
Guiba-Tziampiri
Olympia
O
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D004921:Erythropoietin