[Effects of senility on inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and cell apoptosis in rat penis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of senility on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and apoptosis in rat penis.


METHODS
The rats were divided into three groups randomly: senescent, aged and young. Their penises were harvested to detect iNOS expression by immunohistochemistry and cell apoptosis rate by TUNEL, respectively.


RESULTS
iNOS expression were 0.24 +/- 0.03, 0.17 +/- 0.02, 0.12 +/- 0.03 (relative A) and cell apoptosis rate were (1.41 +/- 0.78)%, (0.94 +/- 0.43)% and (0.50 +/- 0.23 )%, respectively, in the tissues of three groups. The differences among three groups were considerable significance (P <0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
It maybe one of the mechanisms of erectile dysfunction in the aging male that senility causes the increase of iNOS expression and cell apoptosis.
Liu
Bo
B
Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Liu
Ji-hong
JH
Wang
Tao
T
Xiao
Heng-jun
HJ
Chen
Jun
J
Luo
Dong-xi
DX
Ye
Zhang-qun
ZQ
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010413:Penis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II