Expression of Rho-kinase and heme oxygenase in the corpus cavernosum of spontaneous hypertensive rats.
- Author:
Ping-Yu ZHU
1
;
Rui JIANG
;
Qing-Fu DENG
;
Xiao-Ran WANG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Animals; Blotting, Western; Erectile Dysfunction; enzymology; physiopathology; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing); metabolism; Hypertension; enzymology; physiopathology; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Penis; enzymology; Rats; Rats, Inbred SHR; Rats, Inbred WKY; rho-Associated Kinases; metabolism
- From: National Journal of Andrology 2008;14(3):215-219
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of Rho-kinase and heme oxygenase and the interaction among NOS/NO, HO/CO and RhoA/Rho-kinase in the corpus cavernosum of spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs).
METHODSA series of electric stimuli were applied to the corpus cavernosum nerves of 7 SHRs, the changes of ICP/MAP observed continuously and the expressions of ROCK2, HO-2 and eNOS analyzed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Another 7 WKY rats were taken as controls.
RESULTSCompared with the controls, ICP/MAP did not rise obviously (P < 0.05), HO-2 dropped sharply (P = 0.006) and the expression of the ROCK2 protein was elevated markedly (P = 0.017) in the SHRs. Immunohistochemistry showed HO-2 to be distributed in the smooth muscle cells and nervous cells of the corpus cavernosum, and eNOS mainly in the vascular endothelial cells. The expressions of HO-2 and eNOS were obviously reduced in the SHRs.
CONCLUSIONNOS/NO, HO/CO and RhoA/Rho-kinase are related with erectile dysfunction in SHRs and may interact on one another.
