title: Erythropoietin accelerates smooth muscle cell-rich vascular lesion formation in mice through endothelial cell activation involving enhanced PDGF-BB release.
abstract: In this study, the effect of human erythropoietin Delta (Epo) on smooth muscle cell (SMC)-rich lesions was evaluated. Mice, of which the left carotid artery was ligated, were treated with suberythropoietic as well as erythropoietic doses of Epo and both doses of Epo enhanced SMC-rich lesion formation. No association was observed between hemoglobin levels and lesion size. Moreover, endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) numbers in the peripheral blood increased only in the erythropoietic dosing group, indicating that EPC numbers did not correlate with lesion size. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that Epo-mediated enhancement of lesion formation correlates with increased signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (Stat5) phosphorylation in the vessel wall. Experiments performed in cultured vascular cells demonstrated that Epo robustly induced phosphorylation of Stat5 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), but only very weakly in SMCs. In tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha)-activated HUVECS, Epo induced expression of platelet-derived growth factor B (PDGF-B), which was at least partially responsible for the induction of Stat5 phosphorylation in SMCs by HUVEC-conditioned medium. In conclusion, in mice Epo accelerates SMC-rich neointima formation, which correlates with increased Stat5 phosphorylation in the vessel wall but is independent of erythrocyte and EPC numbers.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medical Biochemistry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maarten L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Janmaat
authors.forename: Jasper L T
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Heerkens
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: de Bruin
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klous
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de Waard
authors.forename: Carlie J M
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: de Vries
mesh_terms: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000077214:Becaplermin; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000166:cytology; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D006454:Hemoglobins; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D004921:Erythropoietin; D000077214:Becaplermin