Effects of Erythropoietin on Cardiac Morphometry in Exercised Adolescent Rats

Abstract

Abstract Erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein hormone primarily synthesised in the kidneys. Its main function is to stimulate the proliferation and maturation of erythroid cells in the bone marrow. Although EPOs are prominent with their anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic and angiogenic effects in addition to anaemia treatment, they are sometimes used by athletes for doping purposes. In the present study, the morphometric effects of EPO on the hearts of exercised adolescent rats were investigated. In the four-week study, 48 40-day-old rats were divided into four main groups: Control, Swimming exercise, Drug, and Swimming + Drug, and eight subgroups based on sex. The control group received intraperitoneal (IP) saline four times a week, while the swimming exercise group received 30 minutes of swimming exercise in addition to saline. The drug control group was administered with epoetin alfa (50 IU/kg, IP, four times a week), while the Swimming + Drug group received 30 minutes of swimming exercise after drug administration. The measurements taken after the study showed that EPO administration did not cause significant changes in important parameters for left ventricular hypertrophy. However, the study found that EPO-treated females exhibited acute cardiac dilatation, which was characterized by thinning of the right heart wall and interventricular septum due to intraventricular haemoconcentration. In conclusion, left heart hypertrophy was not detected morphologically with short-term exercise and EPO administration, but findings that may affect cardiac functions and even progress to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were observed.