title: Erythropoietin reduces the expression of myostatin in mdx dystrophic mice.
abstract: Erythropoietin (EPO) has been well characterized as a renal glycoprotein hormone regulating red blood cell production by inhibiting apoptosis of erythrocyte progenitors in hematopoietic tissues. EPO exerts regulatory effects in cardiac and skeletal muscles. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a lethal degenerative disorder of skeletal and cardiac muscle. In this study, we tested the possible therapeutic beneficial effect of recombinant EPO (rhEPO) in dystrophic muscles in mdx mice. Total strength was measured using a force transducer coupled to a computer. Gene expression for myostatin, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was determined by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. Myostatin expression was significantly decreased in quadriceps from mdx mice treated with rhEPO (rhEPO = 0.60 ± 0.11, control = 1.07 ± 0.11). On the other hand, rhEPO had no significant effect on the expression of TGF-β1 (rhEPO = 0.95 ± 0.14, control = 1.05 ± 0.16) and TNF-α (rhEPO = 0.73 ± 0.20, control = 1.01 ± 0.09). These results may help to clarify some of the direct actions of EPO on skeletal muscle.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feder
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rugollini
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santomauro
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Lioi
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: R dos
authors.initials: Rd
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: A A S
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: F L A
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Fonseca
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D016189:Dystrophin / Q000172:deficiency; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D018101:Mice, Inbred mdx; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000187:drug effects; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D055435:Myostatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016189:Dystrophin; D055435:Myostatin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D004921:Erythropoietin