title: Erythropoietin is neuroprotective in models of HIV sensory neuropathy.
abstract: HIV-associated sensory neuropathy (HIV-SN) is the most common neurological complication of HIV infection. Presently, there are no effective therapies for this painful neuropathy. The pathology of HIV-SN is characterized by 'dying back' sensory axonal degeneration and a more modest loss of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sensory neurons. It has been hypothesized that HIV-SN results from neurotoxicity by secreted viral proteins, such as the HIV envelope glycoprotein gp120. Furthermore, neurotoxicity by dideoxynucleoside (DDX) agents, results in the observed higher incidence of HIV-SN in HIV-infected patients taking these antiretroviral drugs. In this study we show that administration of picomolar amounts of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO) prevents sensory axonal degeneration and in vitro DRG neuronal death by both gp120 and ddC (a neurotoxic DDX drug). Our results suggest that EPO may be useful in the treatment of HIV-SN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street, Pathology 627A, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. skeswani@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Sanjay C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Keswani
authors.forename: Gerhard J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Leitz
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D004921:Erythropoietin