erythropoietin (EPO)

Introduction

Also see erythropoiesis-stimulating agent

Function

• principal hormone involved in regulation of erythrocyte differentiation & maintenance of circulating erythrocyte mass

Structure

belongs to the EPO/TPO family

Compartment

secreted

Expression

• produced primarily in the peritubular cells of the kidney
  • made by interstitial peritubular fibrobasts
• a small amount is produced by the liver
• production of EPO is regulated almost exclusively at the level of transcription
• it is not stored, but excreted immediately.

Pathology

• genetic variation in EPO is associated with susceptbility to microvascular complications of diabetes type 2

Pharmacology

• available as epoetin
  • epoetin-alfa, epoetin-beta, epoetin-delta, epoetin-omega. epoetin-zeta

Pharmacokinetics

• 10% excreted in the urine
• removal of sialic acid exposes galactose residues subject to degradation by hepatic galactose receptors

1/2life = 4-13 hours

More general terms

• hematopoietic cell growth factor
• alpha 2 globulin
• sialoglycoprotein

More specific terms

• carbamylated erythropoietin (CEPO)
• darbepoetin-alfa (Aranesp)
• epoetin-alfa (Epogen, Procrit, Eprex)

Additional terms

• erythropoiesis-stimulating agent
• erythropoietin in serum
• erythropoietin receptor; EPO-R (EPOR)

Database

• Entrez gene: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=gene&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Graphics&list_uids=2056
• Kegg: http://www.genome.jp/dbget-bin/www_bget?hsa:2056
• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/133170
• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/612623
• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P01588.html