Partial Inhibition of Hypoxia-lnduced Erythropoietin Production by Cholinergic Blockade in the Dog

Anesthetized dogs exposed to hypoxic hypoxia showed elevated plasma erythropoietic activity by 6 hr. This activity was significantly decreased by atropine pre-treatment. Methylatropine, a peripheral-acting analog of atropine, was equally effective in reducing the erythropoietic response. Neither atropine nor methylatropine, at the doses employed, appeared to exert their effect through blockade at the autonomic ganglia. These studies suggest that the erythropoietic response to short-term hypoxia in the dog involves a peripheral, cholinergic-ally mediated event, perhaps within the kidney itself. We are very grateful to Mr. Rene Stiaes and Mr. Jesse Brookins for their excellent technical assistance.