Background: 

Administration of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) improves aerobic physical performance in sport. The main action of EPO is to regulate the production of red blood cells. However recent research indicates that EPO has pleiotropic effects on the body well beyond the maintenance of red cell mass. EPO receptors have been detected in skeletal muscle.

Aim: 

The aim of our study was to examine the effects of the treatment with rHuEpo on mitochondrial biogenesis, angiogenesis and myogenesis in rat skeletal muscle.

Methods: 

Fourteen male Wistar rats (3 months old) were randomly divided into two experimental groups: control (n=7) and treated with rHuEpo (n=7). The animals were injected three times a week for three weeks, with a subcutaneous dose of 300 I.U. of rHuEPO alpha. We determined different blood parameters (haemoglobin, haematocrit and reticulocytes) and the skeletal muscle protein levels of transcription factors involved in the mitochondrial biogenesis, angiogenesis and myogenesis pathways.

Results: 

Our results show that administration of rHuEpo during 3 weeks has no effect on the following mitochondrial biogenesis pathway (e.g. PGC-1, NRF-1, Tfam, Cit C and COX-II) in soleus muscle. Moreover we did not find any treatment effect in the protein levels of transcription factors involved in myogenesis (e.g. MyoD, Myf 5) and in angiogenesis (VEGF)

Conclusions: 

Treatment with rHuEpo has no effect on the mitochondrial biogenesis, angiogenesis and myogenesis pathways in soleus muscle.

The authors' work was supported by grants BFU2007-65 803/BFI, 35/UPB20/08 and ISCIII2006-RED13-027.