Pre-clinical criteria sustaining the safe use of recombinant human erythropoietin (EPOrh)

Erythropoietin is an essential growth and viability factor to erythroid progenitors of bone marrow, regulating erythrocyte production and adapting it to the physiological needs for oxygen. Human EPO obtained through recombinant DNA (EPO-hr) technology has enabled its wide therapeutic use. Clinical experience has shown that this molecule is capable of modifying anemia associated to chronic renal failure, zidovudine based therapy in patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), rheumatoid arthritis, chemotherapy, prematurity, autologous transfusions, oncohemathological diseases and others. Tissular hypoxia is the main stimulus for the synthesis of this hormone in liver and kidneys. Renal anemia can be modified in a dose dependent manner without adverse effects, disregarding the possible increase of blood pressure. Patients suffering from extra renal anemia could also benefit from the use of hr EPO. The present paper reviews the poorly disseminated preclinical findings of experiments with this hormonal growth factor, in an attempt to widen the knowledge of its therapeutic use.