Analysis of cell surface erythropoietin receptor (EpoR) expression and function in human epithelial tumor tissues

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Background: EpoR mRNA and protein expression have been reported at low levels in human tumors implying EpoR may be functional in tumor cells with inferred implications for the use of erythropoiesis stimulating agents in the Oncology setting. However, mRNA studies use bulk tumor tissue which ignores contribution from the stroma and IHC studies have all used Abs that have since been shown to not be specific for EpoR. Therefore this important question remains unresolved. Methods: EpoR expression and function was investigated in viable, non-apoptotic primary human tumor cells (using tumor specific Abs) that were disaggregated from at least 30 patients from each of the following tumor types: breast (incl. metastases), NSC lung, colorectal, and ovarian. Additional tumor types included head and neck, GBM, pancreatic and gastric. Analysis was performed under conditions that were shown to preserve EpoR expression and function in positive control tissues (primary human erythroid progenitors from bone marrow and UT-7 cells). Cell surface EpoR expression was evaluated by flow cytometry using novel EpoR-specific Abs. EpoR function was investigated by analysis of EpoR signaling using phospho-specific Abs specific for STAT5, Erk, Akt etc following ex vivo Epo stimulation (0U- 300U/mL; for 5 and 30 min). Results: No expression of cell surface EpoR was detected in tumor cells in any of the over 130 tumors. In contrast, high levels of expression were observed in positive controls analyzed in parallel. No induction of EpoR signaling was observed in tumor cells at any [Epo], whereas activation was readily detected in tumor cells treated in parallel with a cocktail of known tumor growth factors. Positive controls treated in parallel, showed robust Epo concentration-dependent signaling. No evidence of EpoR expression or function was observed in tumor endothelial cells. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that epithelial tumor cells do not express functional cell surface EpoR and are not responsive to physiological, therapeutic or indeed very high levels of Epo (300U/mL).

No significant financial relationships to disclose.