The main difference between erythropoietin alpha and beta is that erythropoietin alpha has a lower molecular weight whereas erythropoietin beta has a higher molecular weight.
In short, erythropoietin alpha and beta are two types of recombinant erythropoietin that are structurally similar to human erythropoietin. Both serve as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA), which promote the production of erythropoietin.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Erythropoietin Alpha
– Definition, Characteristics, Function
2. What is Erythropoietin Beta
– Definition, Characteristics, Function
3. Similarities Between Erythropoietin Alpha and Beta
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Erythropoietin Alpha and Beta
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Epoetin Alpha, Epoetin Beta, Erythropoietin Alpha, Erythropoietin Beta
What is Erythropoietin Alpha
Erythropoietin alpha or epoetin alpha is a type of human erythropoietin produced in cell cultures, Therefore, it is a recombinant type of human erythropoietin. The main function of the erythropoietin alpha is to stimulate the production of red blood cells or erythropoiesis. Since erythropoietin alpha increases the red blood cell count, it is used to treat anemia, commonly associated with chronic kidney failure and cancer chemotherapy.
Figure 1: Erythropoiesis
Furthermore, iron and erythropoietin are recommended for people that require dialysis or have chronic kidney disease. Therefore, people who require dialysis are most commonly given Epogen (brand name for erythropoietin alpha) to increase red blood cell counts.
What is Erythropoietin Beta
Erythropoietin beta or epoetin beta is the recombinant form of human erythropoietin. Generally, erythropoietin is a hormone produced in the kidney and it is important for the stimulation of the production of red blood cells. Chinese hamster ovary cells produce recombinant erythropoietin called erythropoietin beta. The main function of the erythropoietin beta is to serve as an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent. NeoRecormon is the brand name of erythropoietin beta that is important in treating anemia associated with chronic kidney failure.
Figure 2: Red Blood Cells
Moreover, human erythropoietin contains 165 amino acids with about 30 KDa molecular weight. Significantly, erythropoietin alpha and beta resemble each other by their molecular characteristics and pharmacokinetic data. However, erythropoietin beta has a higher molecular weight in comparison to erythropoietin alpha.
Similarities Between Erythropoietin Alpha and Beta
- Erythropoietin alpha and beta are two erythropoiesis-stimulating agents that have the same amino acid sequence as the human erythropoietin.
- The human kidney synthesizes the hormone, erythropoietin, which stimulates red blood cell production.
- Therefore, both erythropoietin alpha and beta stimulate the production of red blood cells.
- Moreover, both are recombinant proteins produced in cell cultures.
- They differ in their glycosylation.
Difference Between Erythropoietin Alpha and Beta
Definition
Erythropoietin alpha refers to human erythropoietin produced in cell culture using recombinant DNA technology while erythropoietin beta refers to a synthetic, recombinant form of erythropoietin, a protein that promotes the production of red blood cells.
Molecular Weight
Erythropoietin alpha has a lower molecular weight while erythropoietin beta has a higher molecular weight.
Sialylated Glycan Residues
Usually, erythropoietin alpha contains a higher number of sialylated glycan residues while erythropoietin beta contains a lower number of sialylated glycan residues.
Terminal Elimination Half-Life
Erythropoietin alpha has a shorter terminal elimination half-life while erythropoietin beta has a longer terminal elimination half-life.
Brand Name
The brand name of the erythropoietin alpha is Epogen while the brand name of erythropoietin beta is NeoRecormon.
Conclusion
In brief, erythropoietin alpha and beta are two types of recombinant erythropoietin that contain the same amino acid sequence as the human erythropoietin produced by the kidney. Erythropoietin is a hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells or erythropoiesis. Therefore, the main function of erythropoietin alpha and beta is to stimulate red blood cell production. In addition, these recombinant erythropoietins help in treating anemia. More importantly, the main difference between erythropoietin alpha and beta is their glycosylation; therefore, erythropoietin alpha has a lower molecular weight while erythropoietin beta has a higher molecular weight.
References:
- Deicher R, Hörl WH. Differentiating factors between erythropoiesis-stimulating agents: a guide to selection for anaemia of chronic kidney disease. Drugs. 2004;64(5):499-509. doi: 10.2165/00003495-200464050-00004. PMID: 14977387.
Image Courtesy:
- “Illu blood cell lineage” By U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute– Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
- “1903 Shape of Red Blood Cells” By OpenStax College- Own Work (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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