Abstract
The tissue protective functions of the hematopoietic growth factor erythropoietin (EPO) are independent of its action on erythropoiesis. EPO and its receptors (EPOR) are expressed in multiple brain cells during brain development and upregulated in the adult brain after injury. Peripherally administered EPO crosses the blood-brain barrier and activates in the brain anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory signaling in neurons, glial and cerebrovascular endothelial cells and stimulates angiogenesis and neurogenesis. These mechanisms underlie its potent tissue protective effects in experimental models of stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disease. The preclinical data in support of the use of EPO in brain disease have already been translated to first clinical pilot studies with encouraging results with the use of EPO as a neuroprotective agent.
Highlights
The cytokine erythropoietin (EPO) is a 34 kD glycoprotein which was originally described to stimulate erythropoiesis
Mice deficient for EPO or EPO receptor (EPOR) genes die at embryonic day 13 (E13) because of severe anemia caused by deficiency in definitive erythropoiesis [2,3,4]
Two transmembrane EPOR molecules form a homodimer that binds one EPO molecule leading to a conformational change and tight bonding of the two EPOR monomers which in turn activate two Janus family tyrosine kinase 2 (JAK2) molecules which associate with cytoplasmic domain of the EPOR
Summary
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