title: Characterization and functional role of androgen-dependent PDE5 activity in the bladder.
abstract: Benign prostate hyperplasia is the most common disease in the aging male, often comorbid with erectile dysfunction. Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil) decrease lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with erectile dysfunction and BPH. We studied PDE5 expression and activity in the human bladder and PDE5i effects both in vitro (human and rat) and in vivo (rat). PDE5 is highly expressed in rat and human bladder and immunolocalized in vascular endothelium and muscle fibers. Sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil blocked 70% of the total cGMP-catabolizing activity; vardenafil was the most potent (IC(50) = 0.3 nm). In human bladder cells and in rat strips, a PDE-resistant cGMP analog, SP-8-Br-PET-cGMPS, induced, respectively, a consistent antiproliferative and relaxant effect. In contrast, the nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) was almost ineffective. However, blocking PDE5 with vardenafil increased SNP antiproliferative and relaxant activity up to the level observed with SP-8-Br-PET-cGMPS. We also found that castration decreased, and T supplementation restored, PDE5 gene expression in rat bladder. Accordingly, bladder strips from castrated rats were more sensitive to SNP-induced relaxation than strips from control or T-replaced rats, whereas in the presence of vardenafil, all groups showed the same SNP sensitivity. To discover whether vardenafil affects bladder activity in vivo, the rat bladder outlet obstruction model was used. Chronic treatment with 10 mg/kg.d vardenafil significantly reduced nonvoiding contractions (47%, P < 0.05 vs. placebo) up to tamsulosin level (51%). Overall, these results demonstrate that PDE5 regulates bladder smooth muscle tone, strongly limiting the nitric oxide/cGMP signaling, and that vardenafil, by blocking PDE5, may be a possible therapeutic option for bladder dysfunction by ameliorating irritative lower urinary tract symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Andrology Unit, Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Viale G. Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Filippi
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morelli
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sandner
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fibbi
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mancina
authors.forename: Mirca
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gacci
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vignozzi
authors.forename: Gabriella Barbara
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Vannelli
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carini
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forti
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maggi
mesh_terms: D015106:3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000728:Androgens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D054706:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central / Q000494:pharmacology; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013450:Sulfones / Q000494:pharmacology; D014227:Triazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D001748:Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction / Q000473:pathology; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D007093:Imidazoles; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D013450:Sulfones; D014227:Triazines; D000069058:Vardenafil Dihydrochloride; D015106:3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases; D054706:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5; C517381:PDE5A protein, human; C517384:Pde5a protein, rat