Effect of age on the response to in vitro ischemia and reperfusion of the rabbit bladder.
OBJECTIVE
Urinary bladder dysfunction secondary to outlet obstruction is a common condition, seen in both children and adults. Using in vitro models of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), we compared the contractile and biochemical responses of bladders isolated from young and old rabbits.


METHODS
Fourteen male New Zealand White rabbits were separated into two groups of 7. Group 1 (young) included rabbits 6-7 weeks old and group 2 (old) consisted of rabbits 2 years old. Isolated bladder body strips were subjected to in vitro I/R, and the effects on contractility were determined. The strips were then frozen and stored for quantitative malondialdehyde (MDA) analysis.


RESULTS
Contractile responses of young and old rabbit bladders to all forms of stimulation--field stimulation (FS), carbachol and potassium chloride (KCl)--were equal. The rate of tension to 32 Hz FS was significantly higher for group 1 in comparison with group 2. The old and young rabbits were equally sensitive to I/R in regard to FS, but the old rabbits were more sensitive to I/R in regard to carbachol and KCl stimulation. Basal MDA concentration of both young and aged bladder strips were similar. Ischemia mediated a significant increase in MDA in bladder strips from both young and old rabbits, but the MDA level was significantly greater for the young than for the old.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the level of oxidative damage was greater in the young rabbit bladders, functionally, the old rabbit bladders were more sensitive to I/R damage.
Agartan
Canan Aldirmaz
CA
Department of Urology, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA. cananagartan@hotmail.com
Leggett
Robert E
RE
Kogan
Barry A
BA
Levin
Robert M
RM
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009130:Muscle, Smooth; D011817:Rabbits; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
D008315:Malondialdehyde