title: [Erythropoietin: pleiotropic actions].
abstract: The erythropoietin is produced by the kidney and other organs. EPO does not only affect erythroid cells, but also other blood cell lines, such as myeloid cells, lymphocytes and megakaryocytes. This hormone can also enhance phagocytes function of the polymorph nuclear cells and reduces the activation of macrophages, thus modulating the inflammatory process. Hematopoietic and endothelial cells probably have the same cellular origin, and the discovery of erythropoietin receptors also on mesangial and myocardial cells and smooth muscle fibro-cells has prompted the study of the pleiotropic actions of this hormone. Through its receptors, spread out over the body, it carries out many actions which range from the erythrogenesis after hypoxic stimuli to the tissue protection of the heart and the brain after ischemia. Erythropoietin also acts in the endothelial proliferation of new vessels involving the tumor genesis, but it opens new frontiers to the employment of rHuEPO in the Regenerative Medicine.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Nefrologia, U.O.C. di Terapia Subintensiva eTecniche Dialitiche, Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Università, Messina. buemim@unime.it
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buemi
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Donato
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bolignano
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D041905:Erythroid Cells / Q000166:cytology; D004920:Erythropoiesis / Q000502:physiology; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology; D007511:Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D022423:Myeloid Cells / Q000166:cytology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010100:Oxygen / Q000502:physiology; D017467:Receptors, Erythropoietin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D017467:Receptors, Erythropoietin; D004921:Erythropoietin; D010100:Oxygen