Erythropoietin induction of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 expression and secretion is mediated by mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathways.

In the present study, we demonstrate that erythropoietin (Epo) induces the expression and the release of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in a time- and dose-dependent manner in Epo-dependent cell line UT-7 cells and in normal human erythroid progenitor cells from cord blood (CD36+) and required de novo protein synthesis. TIMP-1 was not expressed in the absence of Epo. Inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway by the specific inhibitors PD98059 and U0126 and of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase by LY294002, strongly inhibited Epo-induced TIMP-1 expression and secretion. In the absence of Epo, both latent and active forms of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) were secreted into media. Upon Epo stimulation, MMP-9 and pro-MMP-9 secretion was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner parallel to TIMP-1 induction. The addition of PD98059, U0126, and LY294002 in the presence of Epo restored MMP-9 production in UT-7 and CD36+ cells. Our findings strongly suggest an inversely coordinated regulation of the TIMP-1 gene and MMP-9 production by Epo via mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathways.