| 1. |
- Hannan, Johanna L., et al.
(författare)
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Valproic acid prevents penile fibrosis and erectile dysfunction in cavernous nerve-injured rats
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Sexual Medicine. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1743-6095 .- 1743-6109. ; 11:6, s. 1442-1451
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction Bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI) causes profound penile changes such as apoptosis and fibrosis leading to erectile dysfunction (ED). Histone deacetylase (HDAC) has been implicated in chronic fibrotic diseases. Aims This study will characterize the molecular changes in penile HDAC after BCNI and determine if HDAC inhibition can prevent BCNI-induced ED and penile fibrosis. Methods Five groups of rats (8-10 weeks, n=10/group) were utilized: (i) sham; (ii and iii) BCNI 14 and 30 days following injury; and (iv and v) BCNI treated with HDAC inhibitor valproic acid (VPA 250mg/kg; 14 and 30 days). All groups underwent cavernous nerve stimulation (CNS) to determine intracavernosal pressure (ICP). Penile HDAC3, HDAC4, fibronectin, and transforming growth factor-1 (TGF-1) protein expression (Western blot) were assessed. Trichrome staining and the fractional area of fibrosis were determined in penes from each group. Cavernous smooth muscle content was assessed by immunofluorescence to alpha smooth muscle actin (-SMA) antibodies. Main Outcome Measures We measured ICP; HDAC3, HDAC4, fibronectin, and TGF-1 protein expression; penile fibrosis; penile -SMA content. Results There was a voltage-dependent decline (Pless than0.05) in ICP to CNS 14 and 30 days after BCNI. Penile HDAC3, HDAC4, and fibronectin were significantly increased (Pless than0.05) 14 days after BCNI. There was a slight increase in TGF-1 protein expression after BCNI. Histological analysis showed increased (Pless than0.05) corporal fibrosis after BCNI at both time points. VPA treatment decreased (Pless than0.05) penile HDAC3, HDAC4, and fibronectin protein expression as well as corporal fibrosis. There was no change in penile -SMA between all groups. Furthermore, VPA-treated BCNI rats had improved erectile responses to CNS (Pless than0.05). Conclusion HDAC-induced pathological signaling in response to BCNI contributes to penile vascular dysfunction. Pharmacological inhibition of HDAC prevents penile fibrosis, normalizes fibronectin expression, and preserves erectile function. The HDAC pathway may represent a suitable target in preventing the progression of ED occurring post-radical prostatectomy.
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| 2. |
- Hannan, Johanna L., et al.
(författare)
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Inhibition of Rho-Kinase Improves Erectile Function, Increases Nitric Oxide Signaling and Decreases Penile Apoptosis in a Rat Model of Cavernous Nerve Injury
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Urology. - : Elsevier. - 0022-5347 .- 1527-3792. ; 189:3, s. 1155-1161
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Bilateral cavernous nerve injury results in up-regulation of ROCK signaling in the penis. This is linked to erectile dysfunction in an animal model of post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction. We evaluated whether daily treatment with the ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 (Tocris Bioscience, Ellisville, Missouri) would prevent erectile dysfunction in a rat model of bilateral cavernous nerve injury.Materials and Methods: Sprague-Dawley(R) rats underwent surgery to create sham (14) or bilateral (27) cavernous nerve injury. In the injury group 13 rats received treatment with Y-27632 (5 mg/kg twice daily) and 14 received vehicle. At 14 days after injury, rats underwent cavernous nerve stimulation to determine erectile function. Penes were assessed for neuronal and nitric oxide synthase membrane-endothelial nitric oxide synthase. ROCK2 was assessed by Western blot. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cavernous homogenates were tested for ROCK and protein kinase G enzymatic activity. Penile apoptosis was evaluated using the Apostain technique (Alexis, San Diego, California). Data were analyzed on ROCK using ANOVA and the t test.Results: While erectile function was decreased in rats with bilateral cavernous nerve injury, daily administration of Y-27632 improved erectile responses. Injury decreased neuronal and nitric oxide synthase membrane-endothelial nitric oxide synthase but ROCK2 was significantly increased. Y-27632 treatment restored neuronal nitric oxide synthase, nitric oxide synthase membrane-endothelial nitric oxide synthase and cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels, and protein kinase G activity. Treatment significantly decreased ROCK2 protein and ROCK activity. There were significantly fewer apoptotic cells after treatment than in injured controls.Conclusions: These results provide evidence for up-regulation of the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway with detrimental effects on erectile function after bilateral cavernous nerve injury. ROCK inhibition improved erectile dysfunction associated with bilateral cavernous nerve injury by preserving penile nitric oxide bioavailability and decreasing penile apoptosis.
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| 3. |
- Hannan, Johanna L., et al.
(författare)
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Impaired contraction and decreased detrusor innervation in a female rat model of pelvic neuropraxia
- 2017
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Ingår i: International Urogynecology Journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0937-3462 .- 1433-3023. ; 28:7, s. 1049-1056
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction and hypothesis: Bilateral pelvic nerve injury (BPNI) is a model of post-radical hysterectomy neuropraxia, a common sequela. This study assessed the time course of changes to detrusor autonomic innervation, smooth muscle (SM) content and cholinergic-mediated contraction post-BPNI. Methods: Female Sprague–Dawley rats underwent BPNI or sham surgery and were evaluated 3, 7, 14, and 30 days post-BPNI (n = 8/group). Electrical field-stimulated (EFS) and carbachol-induced contractions were measured. Gene expression was assessed by qPCR for muscarinic receptor types 2 (M2) and 3 (M3), collagen type 1α1 and 3α1, and SM actin. Western blots measured M2 and M3 protein expression. Bladder sections were stained with Masson’s trichrome for SM content and immunofluorescence staining for nerve terminals expressing vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). Results: Bilateral pelvic nerve injury caused larger bladders with less SM content and increased collagen type 1α1 and 3α1 gene expression. At early time points, cholinergic-mediated contraction increased, whereas EFS-mediated contraction decreased and returned to baseline by 30 days. Protein and gene expression of M3 was decreased 3 and 7 days post-BPNI, whereas M2 was unchanged. TH nerve terminals surrounding the detrusor decreased in all BPNI groups, whereas VAChT and nNOS terminals decreased 14 and 30 days post-BPNI. Conclusions: Bilateral pelvic nerve injury increased bladder size, impaired contractility, and decreased SM and autonomic innervation. Therapeutic strategies preventing nerve injury-mediated decline in neuronal input and SM content may prevent the development of a neurogenic bladder and improve quality of life after invasive pelvic surgery.
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| 4. |
- Matsui, Hotaka, et al.
(författare)
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M1 Macrophages Are Predominantly Recruited to the Major Pelvic Ganglion of the Rat Following Cavernous Nerve Injury
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Sexual Medicine. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1743-6095 .- 1743-6109. ; 14:2, s. 187-195
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction Neurogenic erectile dysfunction is a common sequela of radical prostatectomy. The etiology involves injury to the autonomic cavernous nerves, which arise from the major pelvic ganglion (MPG), and subsequent neuroinflammation, which leads to recruitment of macrophages to the injury site. Currently, two macrophage phenotypes are known: neurotoxic M1 macrophages and neuroprotective M2 macrophages. Aim To examine whether bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI) in a rat model of erectile dysfunction would increase recruitment of neurotoxic M1 macrophages to the MPG. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent BCNI and the MPG was harvested at various time points after injury. The corpora cavernosa was used to evaluate tissue myographic responses to electrical field stimulation ex vivo. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to examine the gene expression of global macrophage markers, M1 macrophage markers, M2 macrophage markers, and cytokines and chemokines in the MPG. Mathematical calculation of the M1/M2 index was used to quantify macrophage changes temporally. Western blot of MPG tissues was used to evaluate the protein amount of M1 and M2 macrophage markers quantitatively. Immunohistochemistry staining of MPGs for CD68, CD86, and CD206 was used to characterize M1 and M2 macrophage infiltration. Main Outcome Measures Corpora cavernosa responsiveness ex vivo; gene (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) and protein (western blot) expressions of M1 and M2 markers, cytokines, and chemokines; and immunohistochemical localization of M1 and M2 macrophages. Results BCNI impaired the corporal parasympathetic-mediated relaxation response to electrical field stimulation and enhanced the contraction response to electrical field stimulation. Gene expression of proinflammatory (Il1b, Il16, Tnfa, Tgfb, Ccl2, Ccr2) and anti-inflammatory (Il10) cytokines was upregulated in the MPG 48 hours after injury. M1 markers (CD86, inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin-1β) and M2 markers (CD206, arginase-1, interleukin-10) were increased after BCNI in the MPG, with the M1/M2 index above 1.0 indicating that more M1 than M2 macrophages were recruited to the MPG. Protein expression of the M1 macrophage marker (inducible nitric oxide synthase) was increased in MPGs after BCNI. However, the protein amount of M2 macrophage markers (arginase-1) remained unchanged. Immunohistochemical characterization demonstrated predominant increases in M1 (CD68+CD86+) macrophages in the MPG after BCNI. Conclusion These results suggest that an increase in M1 macrophage infiltration of the MPG after BCNI is associated with impaired neurogenically mediated erectile tissue physiology ex vivo and thus has significant implications for cavernous nerve axonal repair. Future studies are needed to demonstrate that inhibition of M1 macrophage recruitment prevents erectile dysfunction after CNI.
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