[Effect of androgen on penile erection induced by L-arginine in paraventricular nucleus].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between penile erection induced by L-arginine in paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and androgen.


METHODS
Twenty-four mature male rabbits were randomly divided into three groups which were castrate, castrate with testosterone propionate (T) replacement and pseudo-operation. One month later, the highest intracavernous pressure (ICP) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) of each PVN tissue were measured after infusing L-arginine into the PVN.


RESULTS
The mean ICPs of the highest values in castrate, castrate given T replacement and pseudo-operation groups were (22.640 +/- 4.747) mmHg, (38.146 +/- 4.907) mmHg and (39.991 +/- 3.068) mmHg, respectively. The mean value of NOS activity of each group were (0.807 +/- 0.188) U/mg.prot, (1.457 +/- 0.293) U/mg.prot and (1.528 +/- 0.204) U/mg.prot, respectively. The ICP and NOS activity in castrate were different statistically from T replacement and pseudo-operation group (both P < 0.01). T replacement group had no statistical difference from pseudo-operation group(P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Nitric oxide (NO) is one of the neurotransmitters in PVN particularly relevant for the control of penile erection. Penile erection induced by L-arginine in PVN depends on androgen.
Wu
Xin-Hong
XH
Department of Urology, First Hospital of Ezhou, Ezhou, Hubei 436000, China.
Hu
Li-Quan
LQ
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects*; D011312:Pressure; D011817:Rabbits; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013739:Testosterone; D001120:Arginine