title: Nitric oxide mediates penile erection in cats.
abstract: The present study was undertaken to investigate the in vivo effects of nitric oxide (NO) mediating agents injected intracavernosally on penile erection in cats. All NO donors increased the cavernosal pressure and penile length in a dose-dependent manner. The maximal effects on cavernosal pressure and penile length induced by s-nitrosocysteine (NO-CYS) and s-nitroso-n-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), respectively, were 8-fold and 5-fold increases in pressure, and 45% and 34% increases in length when compared with baseline values. These changes were comparable to that caused by the control drug combination (papaverine, phentolamine and prostaglandin E1). The effects of acetylcholine (ACh) and substance P on cavernosal pressure and penile length were less than those obtained with the control drug combination, NO-CYS (p < 0.01), or SNAP (p < 0.05). N omega-nitro-l-arginine-methyl-ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, significantly decreased the effects of NO-CYS, ACh and substance P on penile erection. This in vivo study with NO donors and an NOS inhibitor suggests that NO is a mediator of penile erection in cats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Domer
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sikka
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kadowitz
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hellstrom
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D002415:Cats; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D026423:S-Nitroso-N-Acetylpenicillamine; D026403:S-Nitrosothiols; D013373:Substance P / Q000494:pharmacology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D026403:S-Nitrosothiols; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013373:Substance P; D026423:S-Nitroso-N-Acetylpenicillamine; C021315:S-nitrosocysteine; D001120:Arginine; D010396:Penicillamine; D003545:Cysteine; D000109:Acetylcholine; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester