title: Vasoconstriction, RhoA/Rho-kinase and the erectile response.
abstract: Recent studies have suggested that contraction of the smooth muscle in the cavernosal arterioles and in the walls of the cavernosal sinuses is maintained by the RhoA/Rho-kinase signaling pathway. However, this contraction activity must be overcome to permit the vasorelaxation essential for erection. We postulate that nitric oxide (NO) causes erection primarily by inhibiting the RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway. The following will discuss evidence in support of the important role of Rho-kinase-mediated vasoconstriction in the nonerect penis and how NO overrides this Rho-kinase-mediated vasoconstriction to permit vasodilation and erection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912-3000, USA.tmills@mail.mcg.edu
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wingard
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Linder
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000502:physiology*; D010413:Penis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000502:physiology*; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein