A pilot study of Connexin 43 (Cx43) in human bladder tissue in patients with idiopathic detrusor overactivity.
OBJECTIVE
Aim of the study was to compare Connexin 43 (Cx43) in human bladder tissue of urodynamically proven idiopathic detrusor overactivity to those of urodynamically stable bladders.


METHODS
We compared bladder biopsies of patients with detrusor overactivity and those with stable bladder analysing Cx43 message by RNA extraction and PCR amplification. All patients had multichannel urodynamics prior to the biopsies.


RESULTS
We investigated the bladder biopsies of 15 female patients with and 15 patients without detrusor overactivity. Cx43 could be detected in nine patients of the detrusor overactivity group and in eight patients of the control group which was not statistically significant. 42 cycles of PCR were necessary to demonstrate Cx43 presence in the positive specimen. The presence of Cx43 was not consistent in the samples from the bladder dome and the side walls meaning there were Cx43 positive results in the dome and negative ones in the side walls of the same patient and vice versa.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, Cx43 is present in human bladder tissue both of overactive bladders and those of controls. However, it is expressed in very small amounts and is not always detectable. The role of Cx43 for the origin of detrusor overactivity remains unclear.
Kuhn
Annette
A
Frauenklinik, Inselspital Bern und Universität Bern, Switzerland. annette.kuhn@insel.ch
Stadlmayr
Werner
W
Monga
Ash
A
Cameron
Ian
I
Anthony
Fred
F
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000378:metabolism*; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000378:metabolism*
D018031:Connexin 43; C500216:GJA1 protein, human