OBJECTIVETo study the effect of erythropoietin (EPO) on the activities of antioxidant enzymes, namely catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the brain tissues of aged rats.

METHODSThirty SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, aging model, and recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) treatment groups (n=10). Morris water maze was used to compare the behavioral indexes. The rats were then sacrificed to observe Nissl bodies in the hippocampal neurons with Nissl staining and test the activities of CAT and GSH-Px in the brain tissues.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the aging rats showed significantly deteriorated learning and memory abilities (P<0.05), which were improved obviously by rhEPO treatment (P<0.05). The number of Nissl bodies in the neurons was reduced in the aging rats compared with that in the control group, and rhEPO treatment increased the number of Nissle bodies but failed to restore the control level. The aging rats also showed significantly lowered activities of CAT and GSH-Px in the brain tissue (P<0.05), which were increased significantly after rhEPO treatment (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONEPO can enhance the activities of the antioxidant enzymes in the brain tissues of aged rats to increase the antioxidant capacity and produces an anti-aging effect.

Aging ; Animals ; Brain ; enzymology ; Catalase ; metabolism ; Epoetin Alfa ; Erythropoietin ; pharmacology ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Learning ; drug effects ; Male ; Memory ; drug effects ; Nissl Bodies ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology

Objective To study the effect of erythropoietin (EPO) on the activities of antioxidant enzymes, namely catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the brain tissues of aged rats. Methods Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, aging model, and recombinant human erthropoietin (rhEPO) treatment groups (n=10). Morris water maze was used to compare the behavioral indexes. The rats were then sacrificed to observe Nissl bodies in the hippocampal neurons with Nissl staining and test the activities of CAT and GSH-Px in the brain tissues. Results Compared with the control group, the aging rats showed significantly deteriorated learning and memory abilities (P<0.05), which were improved obviously by rhEPO treatment (P<0.05). The number of Nissl bodies in the neurons was reduced in the aging rats compared with that in the control group, and rhEPO treatment increased the number of Nissle bodies but failed to restore the control level. The aging rats also showed significantly lowered activities of CAT and GSH-Px in the brain tissue (P<0.05), which were increased significantly after rhEPO treatment (P<0.05). Conclusion EPO can enhance the activities of the antioxidant enzymes in the brain tissues of aged rats to increase the antioxidant capacity and produces an anti-aging effect.

Objective To explore the effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) on expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in different brain regions of aging rats. Methods Forty male SD rats were randomized equally into negative control group, D-galactose group, EPO treatment group, and positive control group. Rat models of subacute aging were established by continuous subcutaneous injection of 5%D-galactose. Immunohistochemical staining was used to analyze the variation of BDNF expressions in different brain regions of the aging rats with different treatments. Results Significant brain region-specific differences in BDNF expression were found among the rats in different groups. Compared with those in the negative control group, the numbers of BDNF-positive cells in the hippocampal CA1 region, CA3 region, dentate gyrus (DG) and frontal cortex were all decreased obviously in D-galactose group (P<0.05) but increased in both EPO group and the positive control group (P<0.05) without significant differences between the latter two groups. In the rats in the same group, the number of BDNF-positive cells varied markedly in different brain regions (P<0.05), and the expression level of BDNF was the highest in the frontal cortex followed by the hippocampal CA3 region and the dentate gyrus, and was the lowest in the hippocampal CA1 region. Conclusion Treatment with rhEPO enhances the expression of BDNF in rat neural cells, suggesting that rhEPO may protect the nervous system from aging by regulating the BDNF pathway.

Objective To study the effect of erythropoietin (EPO) on the activities of antioxidant enzymes, namely catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the brain tissues of aged rats. Methods Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, aging model, and recombinant human erthropoietin (rhEPO) treatment groups (n=10). Morris water maze was used to compare the behavioral indexes. The rats were then sacrificed to observe Nissl bodies in the hippocampal neurons with Nissl staining and test the activities of CAT and GSH-Px in the brain tissues. Results Compared with the control group, the aging rats showed significantly deteriorated learning and memory abilities (P<0.05), which were improved obviously by rhEPO treatment (P<0.05). The number of Nissl bodies in the neurons was reduced in the aging rats compared with that in the control group, and rhEPO treatment increased the number of Nissle bodies but failed to restore the control level. The aging rats also showed significantly lowered activities of CAT and GSH-Px in the brain tissue (P<0.05), which were increased significantly after rhEPO treatment (P<0.05). Conclusion EPO can enhance the activities of the antioxidant enzymes in the brain tissues of aged rats to increase the antioxidant capacity and produces an anti-aging effect.

Objective To explore the effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) on expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in different brain regions of aging rats. Methods Forty male SD rats were randomized equally into negative control group, D-galactose group, EPO treatment group, and positive control group. Rat models of subacute aging were established by continuous subcutaneous injection of 5%D-galactose. Immunohistochemical staining was used to analyze the variation of BDNF expressions in different brain regions of the aging rats with different treatments. Results Significant brain region-specific differences in BDNF expression were found among the rats in different groups. Compared with those in the negative control group, the numbers of BDNF-positive cells in the hippocampal CA1 region, CA3 region, dentate gyrus (DG) and frontal cortex were all decreased obviously in D-galactose group (P<0.05) but increased in both EPO group and the positive control group (P<0.05) without significant differences between the latter two groups. In the rats in the same group, the number of BDNF-positive cells varied markedly in different brain regions (P<0.05), and the expression level of BDNF was the highest in the frontal cortex followed by the hippocampal CA3 region and the dentate gyrus, and was the lowest in the hippocampal CA1 region. Conclusion Treatment with rhEPO enhances the expression of BDNF in rat neural cells, suggesting that rhEPO may protect the nervous system from aging by regulating the BDNF pathway.