Erythropoietin Augments Antibody Response to DNP in Immunized Mice.

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo), the main growth regulator of red blood cells, has been used in clinical practice for the treatment of anemia of various etiologies. Over the last decade several reports have indicated that the action of Epo is not restricted to the erythroid lineage. Studies indicate that rHuEpo treatment may have an immunomodulatory effect on hemodialysis patients. Here we address the effects of rHuEpo on the humoral immune response of mice. Naïve BALB/c mice (two groups of 16 mice each) were immunized with 2mg antigen dinitrophenylated keyhole limpet hemocyanin (DNP-KLH). Concomitant to antigen injection, the mice were injected three times weekly with rHuEpo (180U per injection) or with diluent (control). Blood samples were taken 2 and 4 weeks after immunization and anti-DNP antibody levels were measured by ELISA. Production of anti DNP antibodies increased significantly (1.5–2 fold) in the initial phase of the response (2 weeks following DNP-KLH injection) in mice injected with rHuEpo compared to their counterpart control antigen-injected mice, that received diluent only.

These data indicate that erythropoietin may have a role in stimulating the humoral arm of the immune system, suggesting an immunomodulatory and/or immunostimulatory role for rHuEpo and may open new avenues in improving the immune response of immunocompromised patients.