title: Erythropoietin Promotes Neural Plasticity and Spatial Memory Recovery in Fimbria-Fornix-Lesioned Rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Erythropoietin (EPO) upregulates the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, a central signaling pathway in cellular plastic mechanisms, and is critical for normal brain development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We hypothesized that EPO could modulate the plasticity mechanisms supporting spatial memory recovery in fimbria-fornix-transected animals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fimbria-fornix was transected in 3 groups of rats. Seven days later, EPO was injected daily for 4 consecutive days within 10 minutes after training on a water maze task.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results show that EPO injections 10 minutes after training produced a substantial spatial memory recovery in fimbria-fornix-lesioned animals. In contrast, an EPO injection shortly after fimbria-fornix lesion surgery does not promote spatial-memory recovery. Neither does daily EPO injection 5 hours after the water maze performance. EPO, on the other hand, induced the expression of plasticity-related genes like arc and bdnf, but this effect was independent of training or lesion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This finding supports our working hypothesis that EPO can modulate transient neuroplastic mechanisms triggered by training in lesioned animals. Consequently, we propose that EPO administration can be a useful trophic factor to promote neural restoration when given in combination with training.
authors.affiliation: Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica, La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Almaguer-Melian
authors.affiliation: Centro de Neurociencias de Cuba, La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Daymara
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mercerón-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica, La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pavón-Fuentes
authors.affiliation: Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica, La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Esteban
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alberti-Amador
authors.affiliation: Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica, La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Rilda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leon-Martinez
authors.affiliation: Centro de Inmunología Molecular, La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Nuris
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ledón
authors.affiliation: Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Delgado Ocaña
authors.affiliation: Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica, La Habana, Cuba bergado@neuro.ciren.cu.
authors.forename: Jorge A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bergado Rosado
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020712:Fornix, Brain / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D006454:Hemoglobins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; C491788:Nol3 protein, rat; D004921:Erythropoietin
keywords: BDNF; erythropoietin; fimbria-fornix lesion; neural plasticity