Plasma transforming growth factor-beta1 levels in patients with erectile dysfunction.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the plasma TGF-beta1 level in erectile dysfunction (ED) patients of various causes.


METHODS
Sixty-two patients with ED and 26 potent men were subjected to the study. Based on multidisciplinary work-ups, including medical history, physical examinations, blood tests with lipid profile and hormones, penile duplex Doppler ultrasonogram and neurophysiological tests, causes for ED were classified as psychogenic (n=15), neurogenic (n=16) and vasculogenic (n=31). The plasma TGF-beta1 level was measured by the ELISA method.


RESULTS
The plasma TGF-beta1 level was significantly increased in the ED group (6.7+/-4.9 ng/mL), compared to the control (4.0 +/-2.1 ng/mL) (P<0.01). In the ED groups, there was a significant increase in the vasculogenic group (9.0 +/-5.5 ng/mL), compared to the psychogenic (3.8 +/-1.8 ng/mL) and neurogenic groups (4.8+/-3.2 ng/mL) (P<0.01). Of the vascular risk factors, both the smoking (7.5 +/-4.7 ng/mL) and dyslipidemia groups (7.4+/-4.4 ng/mL) showed significantly increased plasma TGF-beta1 levels, compared to the non-smokers (5.5+/-2.8 ng/mL), and those without dyslipidemia (4.8+/-2.8 ng/mL) (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Vascular risk factors are associated with an elevated plasma TGF-beta1 level, which may contribute to cavernous fibrosis and ED.
Ryu
Ji-Kan
JK
Department of Urology, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
Song
Sun U
SU
Choi
Hyung-Ki
HK
Seong
Do-Hwan
DH
Yoon
Sang-Min
SM
Kim
Seong-Jin
SJ
Suh
Jun-Kyu
JK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000503:physiopathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D018783:Impotence, Vasculogenic / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010413:Penis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014463:Ultrasonography
C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1