[Apoptosis and the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 in the penis of diabetic rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between apoptosis and the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in the penis cavernosal tissues of diabetic rats.


METHODS
Fifty male adult Wistar rats were divided into two groups: 10 as normal control and 40 used to induce diabetes by intravenous injection of alloxan (AXN) (50 mg/kg). After 8 weeks, their penises were harvested. Apoptosis was evaluated by means of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated d-UTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the protein of Bcl-2 and Bax.


RESULTS
Compared with those in the control group, apoptotic cells were more in number (P<0.01) and the expression of Bcl-2 was absent in the penis cavernosal tissues of the diabetic rats. However, there was upregulation of Bax and decrease in Bcl-2/Bax ratio in the diabetic group.


CONCLUSIONS
The high rate of apoptosis in diabetic rats may play a role in the pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction. The change in Bcl-2 and Bax activities may be responsible for apoptosis in diabetic penis erectile tissues.
Wang
Deming
D
Department of Hand Surgery, the 401st Hospital of PLA, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China. petewdm@163.com
Xie
Hong
H
Wang
Guozheng
G
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015870:Gene Expression; D008297:Male; D010413:Penis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein