[Changes of morphology and erectile function of the cavernous tissues in spontaneously hypertensive rats].
OBJECTIVE
To study the changes of morphology and erectile function of the cavernous tissues in spontaneously hypertensive rats.


METHODS
Spontaneously hypertensive male rats (SHR) (n = 15) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) (n = 15) were studied for 20 weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured weekly by the tail/cuff method. Erectile function was tested by injecting apomorphine (APO). The expression alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and collagen III was examined by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
SHR showed a higher systolic blood pressure (205.7 +/- 11.9 vs 114.3 +/- 10.2 mm Hg) and a lower erection frequency (0.6 +/- 0.5 vs 2.4 +/- 0.6). The expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin and collagen III in the cavernous tissues in the SHR was significantly higher than in the WKY.


CONCLUSIONS
The erectile function of the penis is markedly affected by hypertension, and the pathological changes may be one of the most important mechanisms of decreased erectile function in SHR.
Liu
Yun-Fei
YF
Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China.
Hu
Li-Quan
LQ
Zheng
Xin-Min
XM
Li
Shi-Wen
SW
Yang
Zhi-Wei
ZW
Tian
Bin-Qun
BQ
D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006973:Hypertension / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000502:physiology*; D010413:Penis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY
D000199:Actins; D001058:Apomorphine; D024061:Collagen Type III; C498862:Acta2 protein, rat