Erythropoietin in spinal cord injury.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition for individual patients and costly for health care systems requiring significant long-term expenditures. Cytokine erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein mediating cytoprotection in a variety of tissues, including spinal cord, through activation of multiple signaling pathways. It has been reported that EPO exerts its beneficial effects by apoptosis blockage, reduction of inflammation, and restoration of vascular integrity. Neuronal regeneration has been also suggested. In the present review, the pathophysiology of SCI and the properties of endogenous or exogenously administered EPO are briefly described. Moreover, an attempt to present the current traumatic, ischemic and inflammatory animal models that mimic SCI is made. Currently, a clearly effective pharmacological treatment is lacking. It is highlighted that administration of EPO or other recently generated EPO analogues such as asialo-EPO and carbamylated-EPO demonstrate exceptional preclinical characteristics, rendering the evaluation of these tissue-protective agents imperative in human clinical trials.
Matis
Georgios K
GK
Department of Neurosurgery, Democritus University of Thrace Medical School, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece. gkmatis@yahoo.gr
Birbilis
Theodossios A
TA
D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009187:Myelitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D004921:Erythropoietin