Penile Cavernosal Smooth Muscle Fibrosis and TGF-beta1 Expression in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rat.
- Author:
Kyoung Min SOHN
1
;
Kwangsung PARK
;
Kyu Youn AHN
Author Information
1. Department of Urology, Cheonnam National University Medical School, Cheonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea. kpark@chonnam.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Diabetes mellitus;
Transforming growth factor;
Fibrosis;
Impotence;
Rat
- MeSH:
Animals;
Blood Glucose;
Collagen;
Connective Tissue;
Diabetes Mellitus;
Erectile Dysfunction;
Fibroblasts;
Fibrosis*;
Glucose;
Humans;
Immunohistochemistry;
Injections, Intravenous;
Male;
Models, Animal;
Muscle, Smooth*;
Penis;
Rats*;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley;
Streptozocin*;
Transforming Growth Factor beta1*;
Transforming Growth Factors
- From:Korean Journal of Urology
2001;42(11):1211-1215
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The mechanism of corporal smooth muscle fibrosis in impotent patients with diabetes mellitus has not been well demonstrated. The aims of this study were to investigate the corpus cavernosal structure with histochemistry and the expression of TGF-beta1 with immunohistochemistry in the diabetic rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen male Sprague-Dawley rats (200-210g) were divided into two groups; control (n=8) and experimental group (n=7). The experimental group was received intravenous injection of streptozotocin (50mg/kg). After 4 weeks, blood sugar levels were measured, and penile tissue of rat was excised. Serial sections of the penis were used to perform Masson's trichrome stain, and immunohistochemistry for the TGF-beta1 expression. RESULTS: The mean glucose concentrations were 67+/-11mg/dl (range; 50-85) in the control group and 408+/-105 mg/dl (range; 299-564) in the experimental group. Histology revealed diffuse corpus cavernosal fibrosis in the diabetic group. In histomorphometry, the percentage of corpus cavernosal smooth muscle in the diabetic group (9.9+/-1.5) significantly decreased compared with control group (15.0+/-4.0) (p=0.015). The immunoreactivity of TGF-beta1 in diabetic rats was prominent in the collagen connective tissue, fibroblasts, and smooth muscle fibers, whereas weak immunoactivity was detected in the corpus cavernosal structures of control rats. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes mellitus induces penile cavernosal tissue fibrosis with TGF-beta1 expression in the rat model. It implies that strategies to inhibit corpus cavernosal fibrosis is needed to prevent erectile dysfunction in diabetic patients.
