In vivo hepatocyte growth factor gene transfer to bladder smooth muscle after bladder outlet obstruction in the rat: a morphometric analysis.
OBJECTIVE
We determined whether hepatocyte growth factor gene transfer after partial bladder outlet obstruction would prove effective for decreasing transforming growth factor-beta expression and consequently decreasing collagen deposition in partially obstructed rat bladders.


METHODS
Ten-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups of 10 each, including group 1--sham operation, group 2--bladder outlet obstruction for 4 weeks and group 3--hepatocyte growth factor gene transfer after bladder outlet obstruction. Two weeks after the onset of bladder outlet obstruction in group 3 hepatocyte growth factor-liposome complex (50 microg human hepatocyte growth factor cDNA) was injected into the smooth muscle of the rats.


RESULTS
We noted no difference between groups 2 and 3 with regard to the ratio of bladder weight to body weight. The ratio in groups 2 and 3 was significantly higher than in group 1 (p = 0.043). The mean percent of collagen area +/- SE was 36.32% +/- 1.83%, 27.90% +/- 2.66% and 8.97% +/- 3.35% in groups 1 to 3, respectively (p <0.05). Relative hepatocyte growth factor and c-met mRNA and protein expression were higher in group 3 than in groups 1 and 2. However, the expression of transforming growth factor-beta1 mRNA and protein was higher in group 2 than in groups 1 and 3.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings may imply a possible novel therapeutic strategy against bladder dysfunction arising in patients with bladder outlet obstruction.
Ku
Ja Hyeon
JH
Department of Urology, Seoul Veterans Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Yoonjung
Y
Moon
Kyung Chul
KC
Kim
Yon Su
YS
Kim
Myung-Suk
MS
Kim
Hyeon Hoe
HH
Paick
Jae-Seung
JS
D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001748:Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D003094:Collagen