Effects and possible role of recombinant human erythropoietin on endothelial progenitor cells from patients with diabetic nephropathy / 中国医师进修杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the effect and possible role of recombinant human erythropoietin(rhEPO) on the proliferation and apoptosis of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) from patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN). Methods Various concentration of rhEPO was added to the culture system of EPCs from 20 DN patients (DN group) and 20 normal people (control group). MTT assays were used to detect the proliferative rate, Annexin V/PI stains to detect the apoptotic rate, and Western blot assays to detect the expression level of Akt protein kinase. Results Proliferative ability of EPCs from control group and DN group was improved when concentration of rhEPO was 0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 kU/L, and it was dose-dependent. The effect from the latter was more obvious. The apoptotic rate of DN group was lowered and the expression levels of Akt protein kinase were upregulated when the concentration of rhEPO was 1.2 kU/L, while this kind of effect was blocked after Wortmannin was added to the culture system. Conclusion rhEPO can improve the number and function of EPCs from both healthy volunteers and patients with DN. PI3K/Akt pathway may play an important role.