[Effect of elastic fiber alterations in the tunica albuginea of the penis on erectile function of diabetic rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of elastic fiber alterations in the tunica albuginea of the penis on erectile function of diabetic rats.


METHODS
Streptozotocin (STZ) injection was adopted to produce rat models of diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction. Forty rats were randomized equally into two groups according to the time after streptozotocin (STZ) injection, namely 4 week group and 7 week group. Each group was further divided into 4 subgroups, including a control group (n=5, without STZ injection), diabetic with erectile dysfunction group (DM and ED group), diabetic without erectile dysfunction group (DM group) and group with neither diabetes mellitus or erectile dysfunction after STZ injection (None group). Victoria blue/Ponceau red staining and color image analysis were used to observe the content of the elastic fibers in the tunica albuginea, which was quantified by means of integrated optical density (IOD) readings.


RESULTS
Significant difference in the IOD was observed between different groups (F=10.433, P<0.001). The content of elastic fibers in the tunica albuginea was the lowest in DM and ED group among the 4 groups (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference between 7-week and 4 week groups (F=0.685, P=0.415), nor was any interaction observed (F=0.905, P=0.452).


CONCLUSIONS
Decreased elastic fibers in the tunica albuginea can result from diabetes mellitus. Elastic fibers in the tunica albuginea play an important role in the course of erection, and erectile dysfunction may result from decreased elastic fiber content.
Wei
An-yang
AY
Huiqiao Department, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Cheng
Yi
Y
Li
Yu-gang
YG
D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D010413:Penis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013311:Streptozocin; D013997:Time Factors
D013311:Streptozocin