Erythropoietin deficiency decreases vascular stability in mice.

ABSTRACT: Erythropoietin (Epo), a hormone known to stimulate bone marrow erythrocyte production, is widely used to treat anemia in patients at risk for vascular disease. However, the effects of Epo on angiogenesis are not well defined. We studied the role of Epo in a mouse model of retinopathy characterized by oxygen-induced vascular loss followed by hypoxia-induced pathological neovascularization. Without treatment, local retinal Epo levels were suppressed during the vessel loss phase. Administration of exogenous Epo prevented both vessel dropout and subsequent hypoxia-induced neovascularization. Early use of Epo also protected against hypoxia-induced retinal neuron apoptosis. In contrast, retinal Epo mRNA levels were highly elevated during the retinopathy neovascular phase. Exogenous late Epo trea

SUBMITTER: Chen J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2213374 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature