title: The influence of recombinant human erythropoietin on apoptosis and cytokine production of CD4+ lymphocytes from hemodialyzed patients.
abstract: Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) treatment of hemodialyzed (HD) patients normalizes the altered phenotype of CD4(+) lymphocytes and restores the balance of Th1/Th2 cytokines. We decided to test how the presence of rhEPO in cell culture modulates cytokine production of CD4(+) lymphocytes in HD patients with stable hemoglobin level and expression of activation antigens of stimulated CD4(+) lymphocytes similar to those observed in healthy individuals. We also tested whether the presence of rhEPO in cell culture protects stimulated CD4(+) lymphocytes of HD patients from apoptosis. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of HD patients were stimulated with an immobilized anti-CD3 antibody with or without addition of rhEPO. The percentage of apoptotic CD4(+) lymphocytes and the level of Th1/Th2 cytokines in culture supernatants were measured with flow cytometry. HD patients showed a decrease in the percentage of apoptotic CD4(+) cells after stimulation with the anti-CD3 antibody combined with rhEPO. The level of IFN-γ and IL-10 was increased while the level of TNF-α was decreased in the presence of rhEPO in cell culture from HD patients. These results confirm the role of rhEPO signaling in T lymphocytes of HD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Dębinki 7, 80-211, Gdańsk, Poland. katlis@gumed.edu.pl
authors.forename: Katarzyna A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Lisowska
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dębska-Ślizień
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jasiulewicz
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Daca
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bryl
authors.forename: Jacek M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Witkowski
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006435:Renal Dialysis
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin