title: The norepinephrine tissue concentration and neuropeptide Y immunoreactivity in genitourinary organs of the spontaneously hypertensive rat.
abstract: Tissue concentration of norepinephrine and neuropeptide-Y immunoreactivity (NPY-IR) were measured in the urinary bladder, urethra, prostate and corpus cavernosum of the spontaneously hypertensive rat, as well as the normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rat. The results showed significantly increased tissue norepinephrine concentrations in the urinary bladder, urethra and prostate of the spontaneously hypertensive rat when compared to those of the normotensive rat (hypertensive, n = 18: 18.3 +/- 2.1, 14.9 +/- 1.7, 22.6 +/- 2.3 vs. normotensive, n = 18: 11.2 +/- 1.9, 10.4 +/- 1.3, 16.7 +/- 2.4 nmol/g tissue, respectively, P < 0.05 in each case). No difference was noted in the cavernosal tissue (hypertensive, n = 18: 11.3 +/- 1.6 vs. normotensive, n = 18: 10.1 +/- 1.8 nmol/g tissue, P > 0.01). Correspondingly, tissue NPY-IR was significantly increased in the bladder, urethra and prostate tissue of the spontaneously hypertensive rat (hypertensive, n = 18: 39.7 +/- 5.6, 25.3 +/- 3.4, 31.5 +/- 2.8 vs. normotensive, n = 18: 27.4 +/- 3.1, 18.6 +/- 2.7, 24.2 +/- 3.2 pmol/g tissue, respectively, P < 0.05 in each case). Again, no significant difference was observed in the cavernosal tissue (hypertensive, n = 18: 15.9 +/- 2.2 vs. normotensive, n = 18: 14.8 +/- 2.6 pmol/g tissue, P > 0.01). It is therefore concluded that increased tissue concentration of norepinephrine and NPY-IR were present in the urinary bladder, urethra and prostate of the spontaneously hypertensive rat. The significance of such biochemical findings needs further investigation but may suggest increased sympathetic innervation or activity. On the contrary, no corresponding changes were observed in the corpus cavernosum of the hypertensive rat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D014566:Urogenital System / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D009638:Norepinephrine