Grignaschi Giuliano, Zennaro Eleonora, Tortarolo Massimo, Calvaresi Novella, Bendotti Caterina
Department of Neuroscience, Mario Negri Institute, Milano, Italy.
Amyotroph Lateral Scler. 2007 Feb;8(1):31-5. doi: 10.1080/17482960600783456.
Recombinant human EPO (r-Hu-EPO) protects cultured motor neurons from kainate- and serum deprivation-induced toxicity and readily enters the CNS after systemic injection. We examined the effect of rHuEPO in transgenic mice expressing the human Cu/Zn dependent-superoxide dismutase with G93A mutation (SOD1G93A), a model of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. rHuEPO (4 unit/g BW s.c. three times/week), increased the haematocrit and induced a slight delay in impairment of motor function as measured by the rotating bar test. However, it did not prolong life span or reduce motor neuron loss in lumbar spinal cord. The effect on motor function may be due to the improvement of skeletal muscle oxygenation induced by chronic EPO administration.
