Potential role of erythropoietin receptors and ligands in attenuating apoptosis and inflammation in critical limb ischemia

The upregulation of tissue-protective receptor complex of erythropoietin (EPO) in critical limb ischemia (CLI) shows that, theoretically, it is possible to use EPO in CLI for tissue protection. Because EPO is thrombogenic in its native form, we have shown that nonhematopoietic EPO derivatives are equally effective in decreasing myotube cell death and inflammation in cell culture. These laboratory data may translate into an in vivo study and potentially provide an alternate adjunctive treatment for CLI.