title: Effects of ovariectomy and hormone replacement on collagen and blood vessels of the urethral submucosa of rats.
abstract: Collagen and blood vessels of the urethral submucosa of ovariectomized rats were studied following 28 daily subcutaneous injections of 17-beta estradiol (n=6, group 1), medroxy-progesterone acetate (n=6, group 2), both drugs (n=6, group 3) or vehicle (n= 6, control) and after sham surgery without castration or injection (n=6). Investigations included the immunohistochemistry of estrogen and progesterone receptors and collagen fibres, Western blot analysis of collagen types I and III and counting periurethral vessels by light microscopy. Our results showed positive immunostaining with estrogen, progesterone and collagen types I and III in all samples. Collagen type I and III levels were lower in the controls than in the sham group. The other groups showed increases (2>3>1) over the controls with a relatively higher increase in type III. The type I/III collagen ratio progressively decreased (control>1>2>3) below sham levels. The mean vessel count was significantly lower in control than in sham animals (P<0.00001). However, only estrogen treatment significantly increased the vessel number compared to controls (P=0.04). Our results indicate that estrogen and progesterone, alone or in combination, have an effect on collagen types I and III, and that estrogen has an effect on blood vessels of the urethral submucosa in female rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates. rizk.diaa@uaeu.ac.ae
authors.forename: Diaa E E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Rizk
authors.forename: Eric P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Mensah-Brown
authors.forename: Swaminathan I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Chandranath
authors.forename: Ijaz
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shafiullah
authors.forename: Mahendra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Haj
authors.forename: Abdu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adem
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014521:Urethra / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004958:Estradiol; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate