title: Novel tissue remodelling roles for human recombinant erythropoietin.
abstract: rHuEPO (recombinant human erythropoietin) is a haemopoietic growth factor and a primary regulator of erythropoiesis that is used for the treatment of chronic anaemia associated with RA (rheumatoid arthritis). Erythropoietin also appears to modulate a broad array of cellular processes, including progenitor stem-cell development, cellular integrity, angiogenesis and oxidative damage. These diverse activities suggest the exciting possibility of multiple roles for rHuEPO therapy in a variety of disorders other than RA, including cerebral ischaemia, myocardial infarction, chronic congestive heart failure and cancer. Thus it appears that rHuEPO may be a pleiotropic agent, capable of influencing tissue remodelling independently of its established erythropoietic role. Whereas these effects may be largely beneficial, dose-related side effects could have implications for the safe therapeutic use of rHuEPO and its illegal use as a performance-enhancing agent in endurance sports.
authors.affiliation: Division of Science, Faculty of Creative Arts, Technology and Science, University of Luton, Park Square, Luton, Bedfordshire LU1 3JU, UK.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Coussons
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baig
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fanutti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grant
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D009569:Nitric Oxide