Beneficial effects of erythropoietin in models of shock and organ failure-nothing is simple and easy

Spinal Stroke: Outcome Attenuation by Erythropoietin and Carbamylated Erythropoietin and Its Prediction by Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Serum Levels in Mice

Spinal strokes may be associated with tremendous spinal cord injury. Erythropoietin (EPO) improves the neurological outcome of animals after spinal cord ischemia (SCI) and its effects on ischemia-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR) are considered possible molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, sphingosin-1-phosphate (S1P) is suggested to correlate with SCI. In this study, the effect of recombinant human EPO (rhEPO) and carbamylated EPO (cEPO-Fc) on the outcome of mice after SCI and a prognostic value of S1P were investigated. SCI was induced in 12-month-old male mice by thoracic aortal cross-clamping after administration of rhEPO, cEPO-Fc, or a control. The locomotory behavior of mice was evaluated by the Basso mouse scale and S1P serum levels were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The spinal cord was examined histologically and the expressions of key UPR proteins (ATF6, PERK, and IRE1a, caspase-12) were analyzed utilizing immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RhEPO and cEPO-Fc significantly improved outcomes after SCI. The expression of caspase-12 significantly increased in the control group within the first 24 h of reperfusion. Animals with better locomotory behavior had significantly higher serum levels of S1P. Our data indicate that rhEPO and cEPO-Fc have protective effects on the clinical outcome and neuronal tissue of mice after SCI and that the ER is involved in the molecular mechanisms. Moreover, serum S1P may predict the severity of impairment after SCI.

Novel avenues of drug discovery and biomarkers for diabetes mellitus

Globally, developed nations spend a significant amount of their resources on health care initiatives that poorly translate into increased population life expectancy. As an example, the United States devotes 16% of its gross domestic product to health care, the highest level in the world, but falls behind other nations that enjoy greater individual life expectancy. These observations point to the need for pioneering avenues of drug discovery to increase life span with controlled costs. In particular, innovative drug development for metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus becomes increasingly critical given that the number of diabetic people will increase exponentially over the next 20 years. This article discusses the elucidation and targeting of novel cellular pathways that are intimately tied to oxidative stress in diabetes mellitus for new treatment strategies. Pathways that involve wingless, β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) precursors, and cytokines govern complex biological pathways that determine both cell survival and longevity during diabetes mellitus and its complications. Furthermore, the role of these entities as biomarkers for disease can further enhance their utility irrespective of their treatment potential. Greater understanding of the intricacies of these unique cellular mechanisms will shape future drug discovery for diabetes mellitus to provide focused clinical care with limited or absent long-term complications.

Diabetes mellitus: channeling care through cellular discovery

Diabetes mellitus (DM) impacts a significant portion of the world's population and care for this disorder places an economic burden on the gross domestic product for any particular country. Furthermore, both Type 1 and Type 2 DM are becoming increasingly prevalent and there is increased incidence of impaired glucose tolerance in the young. The complications of DM are protean and can involve multiple systems throughout the body that are susceptible to the detrimental effects of oxidative stress and apoptotic cell injury. For these reasons, innovative strategies are necessary for the implementation of new treatments for DM that are generated through the further understanding of cellular pathways that govern the pathological consequences of DM. In particular, both the precursor for the coenzyme beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)), nicotinamide, and the growth factor erythropoietin offer novel platforms for drug discovery that involve cellular metabolic homeostasis and inflammatory cell control. Interestingly, these agents and their tightly associated pathways that consist of cell cycle regulation, protein kinase B, forkhead transcription factors, and Wnt signaling also function in a broader sense as biomarkers for disease onset and progression.