title: Erythropoietin promotes peripheral nerve regeneration in rats by upregulating expression of insulin-like growth factor-1.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Erythropoietin (EPO) has been shown to have beneficial effects on peripheral nerve damage, but its mechanism of action remains incompletely understood. In this study we hypothesized that EPO promotes peripheral nerve repair via neurotrophic factor upregulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty adult male Wistar rats were employed to establish a sciatic nerve injury model. They were then randomly divided into two groups to be subjected to different treatment: 0.9% saline (group A) and 5000 U/kg EPO (group B). The walking behavior of rats was evaluated by footprint analysis, and the nerve regeneration was assessed by electron microscopy. The expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the injured sciatic nerves was detected by immunohistochemical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to saline treatment, EPO treatment led to the growth of myelin sheath, the recovery of normal morphology of axons and Schwann cells, and higher density of myelinated nerve fibers. Erythropoietin treatment promoted the recovery of SFI in the injured sciatic nerves. In addition, EPO treatment led to increased IGF-1 expression in the injured sciatic nerves.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Erythropoietin may promote peripheral nerve repair in a rat model of sciatic nerve injury through the upregulation of IGF-1 expression. These findings reveal a novel mechanism underlying the neurotrophic effects of EPO.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, China.
authors.forename: Dongsheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Renal Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, China.
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zhitu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hongzhi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
keywords: erythropoietin; insulin-like growth factor-1; peripheral nerve repair; sciatic nerve