title: Rho kinase: a target for treating urinary bladder dysfunction?
abstract: Urinary incontinence and other urinary storage symptoms are frequent in the general population but available treatments have limited efficacy and tolerability. Rho kinase (ROCK) has a central role in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction, including that of the urinary bladder. Recent experimental evidence indicates that this role could be deregulated and exacerbated in local and systemic pathological conditions that affect the bladder. In vitro studies with prototypical ROCK inhibitors such as Y27632 and in vivo data from animal models indicate that such drugs have potential as future treatments for bladder dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1105AZ, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Stephan L M
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Martin C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Michel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D006984:Hypertrophy; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases