Voiding pattern analysis as a surrogate for cystometric evaluation in uroplakin II knockout mice.
OBJECTIVE
Previous study has shown that the absence of uroplakin II can cause urinary tract dysfunction, including vesicoureteral reflux and renal abnormalities, as well as micturition pattern changes. We developed a simple surrogate measure of bladder function using ultraviolet visualization of urinary voiding patterns in a uroplakin II knockout mouse animal model.


METHODS
Three male and 3 female WT mice, and 3 male and 3 female uroplakin II knockout mice were evaluated by cystometric analysis and voiding pattern markings. Voiding pattern markings were graded by independent observers on a scale of 1 to 5 according to the degree of dispersion of voided urine. Statistical analysis was then used to correlate voiding dispersion grades with cystometric parameters in the same mice.


RESULTS
The degree of dispersion of voiding pattern markings correlated with several measures of bladder function. Specifically the Pearson correlation coefficients for the observed voiding patterns highly correlated with baseline pressure, threshold pressure and intermicturition pressure measurements made during conscious cystometry in these mice (p <0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Ultraviolet visualization of urinary voiding patterns of mice correlated well with certain measures of standard cystometric evaluations. As such, this method provides a simple, noninvasive method of evaluating mouse bladder function. Implementation of this methodology, which can potentially be automated for high throughput analysis, can accelerate the development of novel therapy for certain important aspects of bladder disease/dysfunction.
Hodges
Steve J
SJ
Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, USA.
Zhou
Ge
G
Deng
Fang-Ming
FM
Aboushwareb
Tamer
T
Turner
Chanda
C
Andersson
Karl-Erik
KE
Santago
Pete
P
Case
Doug
D
Sun
Tung-Tien
TT
Christ
George J
GJ
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000502:physiology*; D014554:Urination / Q000502:physiology*; D014563:Urodynamics; D060170:Uroplakin II
D008565:Membrane Proteins; C554659:Upk2 protein, mouse; D060170:Uroplakin II