The Relaxing Effect of alpha-Defensin 1 on the Adrenergic Responses of Rat Bladder.
10.4196/kjpp.2011.15.3.143
- Author:
Shin Young LEE
1
;
Don Kyu KIM
;
Kyung Do KIM
;
Soon Chul MYUNG
;
Moo Yeol LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Urology, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
alpha-Defensin;
Detrusor smooth muscle;
NF-kappaB;
Adrenergic system
- MeSH:
Animals;
Bethanechol;
Contracts;
Defensins;
Inflammation;
Muscle Contraction;
Muscle, Smooth;
Muscles;
Neutrophils;
NF-kappa B;
Peptides;
Phenylephrine;
Phorbols;
Protein Kinase C;
Pyrrolidines;
Rats;
rho-Associated Kinases;
Thiocarbamates;
Urinary Bladder
- From:The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
2011;15(3):143-147
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Defensins, cysteine-rich cationic polypeptides released from neutrophils, are known to have powerful antimicrobial properties. In this study, we sacrificed 30 rats to investigate the effects of alpha-defensin 1 on detrusor muscle contractions in isolated rat bladder. From the experiments we found relaxing effects of alpha-defensin 1 on the contractions induced by phenylephrine (PE) but not by bethanechol (BCh) in the detrusor smooth muscles. To determine the mechanisms of the effects of alpha-defensin 1, the changes of effects on PE-induced contraction by alpha-defensin 1 pretreatment were observed after pretreatment of Rho kinase inhibitor (Y-27632), protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor (Calphostin C), potent activator of PKC (PDBu; phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate), and NF-kappaB inhibitors (PDTC; pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate and sulfasalazine). The contractile responses of PE (10(-9) ~ 10(-4) M) were significantly decreased in some concentrations of alpha-defensin 1 (5x10(-9) and 5x10(-8) M). When strips were pretreated with NF-kappaB inhibitors (PDTC and sulfasalazine; 10(-7) ~ 10(-6) M), the relaxing responses by alpha-defensin 1 pretreatment were disappeared. The present study demonstrated that alpha-defensin 1 has relaxing effects on the contractions of rat detrusor muscles, through NF-kappaB pathway. Further studies in vivo are required to clarify whether alpha-defensin 1 might be clinically related with bladder dysfunction by inflammation process.
