Short-term erythropoietin treatment does not substantially modulate monocyte transcriptomes of patients with combined heart and renal failure.

Background: Combined heart and renal failure is associated with high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory, non-hematopoietic effects of erythropoietin (EPO) treatment have been proposed. Monocytes may act as biosensors of the systemic environment.

Short- and long-term effects of erythropoietin treatment on endothelial progenitor cell levels in patients with cardiorenal syndrome.

Objective: Patients with cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) have high cardiovascular morbidity. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) constitute an endogenous vascular repairsystem, protecting against atherosclerosis development. Erythropoietin (EPO) treatment may have beneficial effects by mobilizing EPC from the bonemarrow.

Progenitor cells and vascular function are impaired in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction contributes to accelerated atherosclerosis in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) constitute an endogenous vascular repair system protecting against atherosclerosis. Smooth muscle progenitor cells (SPC) may stimulate atherosclerosis development.

Genetic and epigenetic control of the major histocompatibility complex class Ib gene HLA-G in trophoblast cell lines.

The transcriptional regulation of the major histocompatibility complex class (MHC) Ib gene HLA-G differs from the classical MHC class I genes. The cis-acting regulatory elements typical for classical MHC class I promoters are divergent in the promoter of HLA-G, rendering this gene unresponsive to NF-kappaB, IRF-1, and class II transactivator (CIITA)-mediated activation pathways. However, as we have previously shown, transactivation of HLA-G is regulated by CREB-1.

A role for EZH2 in silencing of IFN-gamma inducible MHC2TA transcription in uveal melanoma.

We investigated the contribution of epigenetic mechanisms in MHC2TA transcriptional silencing in uveal melanoma. Although no correlation was observed between impaired CIITA transcript levels after IFN-gamma induction and DNA methylation of MHC2TA promoter IV (CIITA-PIV), an association was found with high levels of trimethylated histone H3-lysine 27 (3Me-K27-H3) in CIITA-PIV chromatin. The 3Me-K27-H3 modification correlated with a strong reduction in RNA polymerase II-recruitment to CIITA-PIV.