The use of telemetry technology to test the proerectile effect of melanotan-II (MT-II) in conscious rats.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to demonstrate that monitoring, by means of telemetry technology, the increases in intracavernosal pressure (ICP) in freely moving rats using melanotan-II (MT-II) as a proerectile inducer compound is a relevant experimental model to investigate the effects of pharmacological agents on erection.


METHODS
Adult rats were implanted in the corpus cavernosum with a pressure sensor which permitted telemetric monitoring of ICP in freely moving animals following MT-II (0.1, 0.3 and 1 mg/kg) or saline i.v. injections. ICP was also measured after MT-II (0.1, 0.3 or 1 mg/kg) or saline i.v. delivery in anesthetized rats.


RESULTS
In conscious rats, MT-II (1 mg/kg) significantly increased overall erectile activity compared to saline. In anesthetized rats, MT-II-induced increase in overall erectile activity was not statistically significant but displayed a similar pattern.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of telemetry technology allowed to collect quantifiable and reliable data regarding the proerectile activity of MT-II in physiological conditions. The telemetry model appears suitable for investigating the potential inducer proerectile properties of pharmacological agents.
Giuliano
F
F
Pelvipharm Laboratories, CNRS, Bat 5, 1 avenue de la Terrasse, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France. giuliano@cyber-sante.org
Rössler
A-S
AS
Clément
P
P
Droupy
S
S
Alexandre
L
L
Bernabé
J
J
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003243:Consciousness; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects*; D010413:Penis / Q000502:physiology*; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013686:Telemetry; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; C079282:melanotan-II; D000521:alpha-MSH