Masaya Nagao

Affiliation: Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University

Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan

Tel: +81-75-753-6271

E-mail: mnagao@kais.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Title: An Overview of Erythropoietin Researches

ABSTRACT

Erythropoietin (Epo) is a cytokine which stimulates proliferation and differentiation of erythroid precursor cells and regulates red blood cell mass. Recombinant human Epo produced by animal cells is clinically used for treatment of anemia. At first Epo is thought to function exclusively as a erythropoietic factor but our studies revealed that Epo functions as a neurotrophic factor in the brain and an angiogenic factor in the uterus. Main regulator of Epo gene expression is oxygen in the kidney and the brain, but estrogen is important in the uterus. Hypoxia-inducible-factor (HIF) is an important transcription factor for hypoxic (or low oxygenic) regulation of Epo gene. HIF is involved not only in erythropoiesis but also angiogenesis, glycolysis, growth and apoptosis. I would like to talk about an overview of erythropoietin studies around the world including our studies.

Short Bio

Masaya Nagao is a Professor of Laboratory of Biosignals and Response, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Japan. His main research was focused on pleiotrophic functions of erythropoietin and regulation of erythropoietin gene expression but recently he shifts his research on screening of plant-derived compounds that have useful function for human health.