Erythropoietin induces neovascularization and improves cardiac function in rats with heart failure after myocardial infarction.

Objectives: We assessed the effects of erythropoietin (EPO) treatment in a rat model of post-myocardial infarction (MI) heart failure.

Background: Erythropoietin, traditionally known as a hematopoietic hormone, has been linked to neovascularization. Whereas administration of EPO acutely after MI reduces infarct size and improves cardiac function, its role in the failing heart is unknown.

Methods: Rats underwent coronary ligation or sham surgery. Rats with MI were randomly assigned to: untreated (MI), a single bolus of EPO immediately after MI induction (MI-EPO-early), EPO treatment immediately after MI and once every three weeks (MI-EPO-early+late), and EPO treatment starting three weeks after induction of MI, once every three weeks (MI-EPO-late). After nine weeks, hemodynamics, infarct size, myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms, myocyte hypertrophy, and capillary density were measured.

Results: Erythropoietin treatment started immediately after MI (MI-EPO-early and MI-EPO-early+late) resulted in a 23% to 30% reduction in infarct size (p < 0.01) and, accordingly, hemodynamic improvement. Erythropoietin treatment, started three weeks after MI (MI-EPO-late), did not affect infarct size, but resulted in an improved cardiac performance, reflected by a 34% reduction in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (p < 0.01), and 46% decrease in atrial natriuretic peptide levels (p < 0.05). The improved cardiac function was accompanied by an increased capillary density (p < 0.01), an increased capillary-to-myocyte ratio (p < 0.05), and a partial reversal of beta-MHC (p < 0.05) in all treated groups.

Conclusions: In addition to its effect on infarct size reduction, EPO treatment improves cardiac function in a rat model of post-MI heart failure. This observation may be explained by neovascularization, associated with an increased alpha-MHC expression.