Effect of aging on expression of nitric oxide synthase I and activity of nitric oxide synthase in rat penis.
- Author:
Jun-Ping SHI
1
;
Yong-Mei ZHAO
;
Yu-Tong SONG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Aging; metabolism; Animals; Blotting, Western; Male; Nitric Oxide Synthase; genetics; metabolism; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; Penis; metabolism; RNA, Messenger; metabolism; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- From: Asian Journal of Andrology 2003;5(2):117-120
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
AIMTo investigate the effect of aging on the expression of nitric oxide synthase I (NOS I) and the activity of NOS in rat penis.
METHODSSixty male rats from 3 age groups (adult, old and senescent) were investigated. The expression of NOS I protein and mRNA in rat penis were detected by Western blot and RT-PCR respectively and the NOS activity, with ultraviolet spectrophotometry.
RESULTSIn the old and senescent group, NOS I protein expression was significantly decreased as compared with the adult. NOS I mRNA expression was well correlated with the protein expression. NOS activity was not statistically different between the adult and old groups, but it was significantly reduced in the senescent compared with the adult group (P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONThe aging-induced decreases in NOS I expression and NOS activity may be one of the main mechanisms leading to erectile dysfunction in the senescent rats.
