Single dose recombinant human erythropoietin reduces transforming growth factor beta in patients on chronic haemodialysis

Short-term effects of recombinant human erythropoietin on serum levels of t ransforming growth factor beta-1, interleukin 1-alpha, interleukin 3, inter feron gamma, and tumour necrosis factor or in patients with chronic renal f ailure on chronic haemodialysis were investigated. Recombinant human erythr opoietin was applied subcutaneously in a dose of 75 IU/kg on 19 patients. S erum levels of transforming growth factor beta-1, interleukin 1-alpha, inte rleukin 3, interferon gamma, tumour necrosis factor or and erythropoietin, red blood cell parameters: red blood cell count, haemoglobin, haematocrit, and erythrocyte indices were determined before and after recombinant human erythropoietin single application. Transforming growth factor beta-1 serum levels were decreased after recombinant human erythropoietin (22.70 +/- 1.5 1 ng/ml versus 18.77 +/- 1.70 ng/ml (p < 0.01). None of the other investiga ted parameters was influenced significantly by recombinant human erythropoi etin. Recombinant human erythropoietin in patients with chronic renal failu re on chronic haemodialysis may influence anaemia not only through its stim ulating effect on erythropoiesis, but also by direct oxygen-independent dec rease of at least one of the negative regulators of erythropoiesis - the tr ansforming growth factor beta.