The aim of the study was to investigate whether low doses of erythropoietin (EPO) can stimulate liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. Parameters of liver regeneration were assessed 3 days after 70% hepatectomy by means of immunochemistry and proteomics.
EPO was given twice in low dosages (200 and 600 IU/kg BW). We showed that EPO facilitated hepatic regeneration in rats.
Enhanced hepatocyte proliferation (Ki67, BrdU-positive cells) was observed in all EPO-treated groups. By performing differential proteomic analysis, we identified two proteins which resulted sensitive to EPO treatment after hepatectomy: Peroxiredoxin-1 and glutathione S-transferase Mu 1.