[Effects of angiotensin II on male rats with diabetic erectile dysfunction].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the changes of angiotensin II (Ang II) and its receptors in male rats with diabetic erectile dysfunction (DED) so as to study its effects.


METHODS
Out of 40 male SD rats, 30 were taken at random for diabetic models. After 8 weeks, the rats with erectile dysfunction were selected from these models. All the rats were divided into 3 groups: control ( n = 10), diabetes mellitus( DM, n = 9) and DED (n = 8). For each rat, the Ang II levels in the blood and homogenate prepared from part of the isolated penile tissues were determined respectively, and the Ang II receptors of the rest of the penile tissues were analyzed through immunohistochemical (IHC) assay.


RESULTS
Compared with the control group, Ang II levels in the blood and penile tissues in the DM group, and that in the blood of the DED group were very high and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Ang II in the penile tissues of the DED increased sharply (P < 0.01). The receptors of Ang II changed contrariwise to the level of Ang ll.


CONCLUSIONS
Ang II may play an important role in the pathogenesis of DED, and the Ang II antagonist or inhibitor of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACEI) may become a therapeutic method for DED in the future.
Li
San-Xiang
SX
Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical College, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
Dai
Yu-Tian
YT
D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010413:Penis / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin; D000804:Angiotensin II