Intrinsic and extrinsic erythropoietin enhances neuroprotection against ischemia and reperfusion injury in vitro

Abstract

AbstractThis study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of intrinsic and extrinsic erythropoietin (EPO) against hypoxia/ischemia, and determine the optimal time‐window with respect to the EPO‐induced neuroprotection. Experiments were conducted using primary mixed neuronal/astrocytic cultures and neuron‐rich cultures. Hypoxia (2%) induces hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) activity followed by strong EPO expression in mixed cultures and weak expression in neuron‐rich cultures as documented by both western blot and RT–PCR. Immunoreactive EPO was strongly detected in astrocytes, whereas EPOR was only detected in neurons. Neurons were significantly damaged in neuron‐rich cultures but were distinctly rescued in mixed cultures. Application of recombinant human EPO (rhEPO) (0.1 U/mL) within 6 h before or after hypoxia significantly increased neuronal survival compared with no rhEPO treatment. Application of rhEPO after onset of reoxygenation achieved the maximal neuronal protection against ischemia/reperfusion injury (6 h hypoxia followed 24 h reoxygenation). Our results indicate that HIF‐1α induces EPO gene released by astrocytes and acts as an essential mediator of neuroprotection, prove the protective role of intrinsic astrocytic‐neuronal signaling pathway in hypoxic/ischemic injury and demonstrate an optimal therapeutic time‐window of extrinsic rhEPO in ischemia/reperfusion injury in vitro. The results point to the potential beneficial effects of HIF‐1α and EPO for the possible treatment of stroke.

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