Effect of intranasal administration of neuroEPO in the histological structure of the olfactory mucosa of rats Wistar

Abstract

ABSTRACTIntroductionStrokes and neurodegenerative diseases are major global health problems. Not only because they cause high mortality and disability, but to the lack of effective therapies. NeuroEPO, a variant of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu-EPO) with a low sialic acid content, has shown encouraging results as a potential neuroprotective agent when administered intranasally.ObjectiveTo determine the effect of intranasal administration of NeuroEPO on the histological structure of the olfactory mucosa of Wistar rats.Materials and MethodsAn experimental, prospective, and longitudinal study was conducted in Wistar rats. Ten healthy animals were randomly distributed into two groups of five each. The control group received a vehicle (0.3 μl/g/day) and the treated group received NeuroEPO (300 μg/kg/day). Both treatments were administered intranasally for 28 days. The histological characteristics of the olfactory mucosa were evaluated. The medians of the study groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test.ResultsThere were no alterations in the histological characteristics of the olfactory epithelium. However, at the level of the lamina propria in the group treated with NeuroEPO, slight hypertrophy, and hyperplasia of the Bowman’s glands was observed.ConclusionsThe administration of the nasal formulation of NeuroEPO did not induce histological alterations of the olfactory mucosa of Wistar rats under the experimental conditions of this research.