Erythropoietin activity in anephric, allotransplanted, unilaterally nephrectomized and intact man.

Abstract Plasma erythropoietin (ESF) activity was determined in anephric, renal allotransplanted, unilateral nephrectomized, and intact human beings before and after androgen treatment. Increased ESF activity shown in anephric patients before and after androgen treatment provides further evidence that extrarenal site or sites for ESF are present in man. Four out of 7 plasma specimens obtained from anephric patients showed significant ESF activity after androgen injection. These results suggest that the site or sites for extrarenal ESF in the man, like the renal site, are responsive to exogenous testosterone administration. A patient with an allograft kidney also demonstrated a very marked increase in ESF activity in response to androgen treatment and following an episode of bleeding. The androgen-erythropoietin response in male patients with postunilateral nephrectomy for kidney carcinoma was similar to that seen in anephric human beings following androgen treatment.