Effects of Connexin Expression on Unstable Bladder after Relief of Bladder Outlet Obstruction in Rat.
- Author:
Joon Chul KIM
1
;
Doo Bae KIM
;
Seong Il SEO
;
Yong Hyun PARK
;
Tae Kon HWANG
Author Information
1. Department of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. kjc@catholic.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Bladder neck obstruction;
Connexins;
Bladder;
Rats
- MeSH:
Animals;
Connexin 43;
Connexins;
Gap Junctions;
Humans;
Male;
Rats*;
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction;
RNA, Messenger;
Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction*;
Urinary Bladder*;
Weights and Measures
- From:Korean Journal of Urology
2003;44(6):585-591
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Connexins (Cx) constitute a family of transmembrane proteins that form gap junction channels, and allow metabolic and electrical coupling of cellular networks. This study was undertaken to evaluate the regulation of Cx expression, according to bladder function, after the relief of a bladder outlet obstruction in rat. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 50 Wistar male rats were used for this study. They were divided into two groups: 10 in a control group, and 40 in an experimental group. The experimental group was partially obstructed for 3 weeks, after which the obstruction was relieved by urethral deligation. 3 weeks after the deligation, cystometrograms (CMG) were performed. On the basis of the CMG results, the experimental group was subdivided into the normalized and unstable groups. The bladders from each group were dissected after the CMG, and weighed. The expressions of Cx43 and Cx40 mRNA in each group were analyzed by a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: The bladder weights of both the normalized and unstable groups increased compared with the control group (p<0.05). On CMG, the contraction interval of the unstable group was markedly decreased compared with that of the control and normalized groups (p<0.05). The semiquantitative RT-PCR revealed that there was no significant difference in the expressions of Cx43 mRNA between the control and normalized groups. However, the expression of Cx43 mRNA of the unstable group was significantly increased compared with the control and normalized groups. The expression of Cx40 mRNA was no different between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that there is a change in the expressions of the onnexins according to bladder function, which may be related to a persistent unstable bladder or irritative symptoms following the relief of a bladder outlet obstruction.
