Intracavernosal injection of vascular endothelial growth factor improves erectile function in aged rats.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether intracavernosal injection of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can restore erectile function in the aging rat.


METHODS
Ten young (4-5 months) and 30 old (24 months) Sprague-Dawley male rats were used. The old rats were divided into 3 groups: vehicle-only (phosphate buffered saline plus 0.1% bovine serum albumin; n = 10), VEGF 1 microg/kg (n = 10), and VEGF 10 microg/kg (n = 10). At 2 and 4 weeks after treatment, erectile function and histology were evaluated by hemodynamic study, histomorphometric analysis, and immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
After 4 weeks of treatment, the ratio of peak intracavernosal pressure to systemic arterial blood pressure in response to neurostimulation was significantly higher in both the VEGF 1 microg/kg (79.9 +/- 7.7%) and the VEGF 10 microg/kg group (76.8 +/- 5.8%) compared to the vehicle-only group (63.1 +/- 8.5%; p < 0.05). The percentage of cavernosal smooth muscle was significantly higher in the VEGF 10 microg/kg group (16.1 +/- 1.4%) compared to the vehicle-only group (12.8 +/- 2.2%; p = 0.047). VEGF treatment in old rats increased e-NOS and VEGF expression in both treatment groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Intracavernosal injection of VEGF appears to restore smooth muscle integrity and improve erectile function in aged rats.
Department of Urology, Chonnam National University Medical School, 8 Hakdong, Donggu, Gwangju 501-757, Republic of Korea. kpark@chonnam.ac.kr
Kwangsung
K
Park
Kyu Youn
KY
Ahn
Min-Kyung
MK
Kim
Song Eun
SE
Lee
Taek Won
TW
Kang
Soo-Bang
SB
Ryu
D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*; D010413:Penis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A