Risk of heart failure of chemotherapy reduced by hormone

Recent studies have shown that the heart contains cardiac stem cells that could contribute to recovery and healing during illness and aging. However, little is known about the molecules and pathways that regulate these cells. Now, a new study using a heart failure model provides insight into one way to persuade the cardiac stem cells in repairing the damaged heart. The research, published by cell press in August 2011, the issue of the journal cell stem cell, finds that low doses of Erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone known for controlling the production of red blood cells, the risk of heart failure some anti cancer therapies is linked may be restricted.

Chemotherapy with Doxorubicin (DOX) is effectively used for the treatment of a wide range of cancer, but is limited because of serious side effects, especially heart failure. Also blocking of STAT3, an important factor that drives tumor growth has been linked to heart failure. For more information about the activities of stem cells, heart cells under these circumstances, senior study author, Dr. Denise Hilfiker-Kleiner from the Medical School Hanover in Germany, and colleagues studied cardiac stem cells in mice that lacked the STAT3 gene in their hearts or were treated with DOX.

Dr. Hilfiker-Kleiner and colleagues observed that in both groups of mice, cardiac stem cells a reduced capacity to form new blood vessels that are essential for oxygen supply to the heart muscle. Both sets of mice produced less EPA in their heart muscle than untreated controls. The researchers went on to demonstrate that EPO binds to cardiac stem cells and is required to maintain the signaling molecules needed for the production of new blood vessels. More importantly, when the mice a synthetic EPO derivative at a low dose that had no impact on the production of red blood cells, stem cell differentiation into blood vessel cells was restored and heart function was preserved. "EPO administration in the short term at low doses seems an attractive avenue to pursue for the protection of the heart during chemotherapy and perhaps broader applications in cardiac regeneration," concludes Dr. Hilfiker-Kleiner.

Article reference:
Cell press