Cardioprotective effects of recombinant human erythropoietin in rats with experimental autoimmune myocarditis.
Erythropoietin (EPO) has been known to have cytoprotective effects on several types of tissues, presumably through modulation of apoptosis and inflammation. The effect of EPO on myocardial inflammation, however, has not yet been clarified. We investigated the cardioprotective effects of EPO in rats with experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM). Seven-week-old Lewis rats immunized with cardiac myosin were treated either with EPO or vehicle and were examined on day 22. EPO attenuated the functional and histological severity of EAM along with suppression of mRNAs of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 in the hearts as well as a reduction of apoptotic cardiomyocytes. The EPO receptor (EPO-R) was upregulated in the myocardium of EAM compared with that of healthy rats. These results may suggest that EPO ameliorated the progression of EAM by modulating myocardial inflammation and apoptosis.
Mitsuma
Wataru
W
Division of Cardiology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Japan.
Ito
Masahiro
M
Kodama
Makoto
M
Fuse
Koichi
K
Okamura
Kazuki
K
Minagawa
Shiro
S
Kato
Kiminori
K
Hanawa
Haruo
H
Toba
Ken
K
Nakazawa
Mikio
M
Aizawa
Yoshifusa
Y
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin