[Effect of FK506 on the cavernous nerve regeneration after injury].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of FK506 on the cavernous nerve regeneration after injury and to discuss its possible action mechanisms.


METHODS
Fifty-four male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into three groups: Group 1 (sham control), Group 2 (unilateral cavernous nerve ablation), and Group 3 (unilateral cavernous nerve ablation with subsequent injection of FK506). Electrostimulation of the cavernous nerve was performed at 1 and 3 months after surgical injury. The intracavernous pressure was continuously detected and the rats were followed by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) staining to identify NOS in the penile nerve fibers of the penile shaft.


RESULTS
At 1 month, the number of NOS-positive nerve fibers significantly decreased with no statistical difference among the three groups except the sham controls (P > 0.05). At 3 months, electrostimulation revealed greater maximal intracavernous pressure in Group 3 than in Group 2 (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the number of NOS-positive nerve fibers showed a significant increase (P < 0.01), but not in Group 2 (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
FK506 injection enhances the regeneration of cavernous nerves after injury and the recovery of erectile function in rats.
Sun
Lei
L
Department of Urology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical College, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
Dai
Yu-Tian
YT
Huang
Xing
X
Sun
Ze-Yu
ZY
D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000032:analysis; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects*; D010413:Penis / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000494:pharmacology*
D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D016559:Tacrolimus