Red blood cell hormone modulates the immune system

	Tweet

New research reveals that a hormone best known for stimulating the production of red blood cells can modulate the immune response. The study, published by Cell Press in the January 27th issue of the journal Immunity, finds that erythropoietin (EPO) has contrasting influences on infectious and inflammatory diseases and may be useful in the design of new therapeutic strategies.

EPO is a cytokine hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells by acting at EPO receptors (EPORs) on red blood cell precursors. Interestingly, other cell types also express EPORs. “It is clear that EPORs are present on immune cells, but the function of these receptors was completely unknown,” says senior study author Dr. Guenter Weiss from Innsbruck Medical University in Austria. “We hypothesized that EPO might be able to modulate the immune system and could be of clinical relevance in certain diseases.”

After showing that EPO inhibited induction of key pro-inflammatory genes, Dr. Weiss and colleagues examined the role of EPO-modulated immune cells in two mouse models of disease: systemic infection with Salmonella bacteria and chemically induced inflammation of the colon (colitis). 

In mice infected with Salmonella, EPO treatment was associated with reduced survival and impaired ability to clear the pathogen, neutralization of EPO production in the body promoted Salmonella elimination. This suggests that EPO reduces the ability of the immune system to fight off a systemic infection with intracellular bacteria such as Salmonella.

The researchers went on to show that in contrast to bacterial infection, EPO had a beneficial effect on the severity of colitis. EPO decreased the production of nuclear factor (NF)-B, a protein that is critical for inflammation and thereby reduced the formation of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha which are centrally involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune colitis. This suggests that EPO may exert beneficial effects in non-infectious inflammatory diseases.

“Our results provide novel evidence that EPO acts as a potent anti-inflammatory immune modulator by specifically targeting (NF)-B-driven inflammatory pathways,” concludes Manfred Nairz, first author of the paper. “Although high dose EPO treatment in humans may lead to a dangerous excess of red blood cells, EPO derivatives that do not influence red blood cell production have been developed and these could possibly serve as valuable therapeutic tools in treatment of pathologic inflammation.”

###

Contact: Elisabeth Lyons

617-386-2121
Cell Press

RELATED STORIES:
A new way to stimulate the immune system and fight infection   Researchers Find New Treatment for Hepatitis C   Tobacco Smoke Has Harmful Impact on Asthma, Rhinitis and Immunity   Low-dose naltrexone (LDN): Tricking the body to heal itself   A new player in the innate immunity game?   Yale researchers find double doses of chicken pox vaccine most effective   Immune imbalance in gut may trigger celiac disease   Allergy Vaccinations Reduce Children’s Health Care Costs by One-Third   British ban for doctor at heart of MMR vaccine row   Expert Alert: Breastfeeding – Is It Simply a Matter of Choice?   Vaccinations: They Are Not Just For Kids, Says Loyola Expert   Early Immune System Exposures Linked to Chronic Disease

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]