Raves and risks for erythropoietin.
Global use of erythropoietin (EPO) continues to increase as a proven agent for the treatment of anemia. Yet, EPO is no longer believed to have exclusive biological activity in the hematopoietic system and is now considered applicable for a variety of disorders such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and cardiovascular disease. Treatment with EPO is considered to be robust and can prevent metabolic compromise, neuronal and vascular degeneration, and inflammatory cell activation. On the converse side, observations that EPO administration is not without risk have fueled controversy. Here we present recent advances that have elucidated a number of novel cellular pathways governed by EPO to open new therapeutic avenues for this agent and avert its potential deleterious effects.
Maiese
Kenneth
K
Division of Cellular and Molecular Cerebral Ischemia, Department of Neurology, Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. aa2088@wayne.edu
Chong
Zhao Zhong
ZZ
Shang
Yan Chen
YC
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008954:Models, Biological; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D015398:Signal Transduction
D004921:Erythropoietin