[Nitric oxide synthetase and carbon monoxide decrease in the penile corpus cavernous of hyper homocysteine rats].
OBJECTIVE
To detect the levels of nitric oxide synthetase (NOS) and carbon monoxide (CO) in the penile corpus cavernous of adult male Wistar rats with high homocysteine (Hhcy) and to explore the relationship of NOS and CO levels with erectile dysfunction.


METHODS
Twenty Wistar rats were equally and randomly divided into a control and an Hhcy group and fed on normal diet and normal diet with 3.0% methionine respectively. Four weeks later, the levels of NOS and CO in the penile corpus cavernous were detected by ultraviolet spectrophotometry and that of serum homocysteine by the cycle enzyme method.


RESULTS
Compared with the control group, the levels of NOS and CO in the penile corpus cavernous were significantly lower in the Hhcy group, (6.45 +/- 1.12) nmol/(g x min) vs (10.77 +/- 0.60) nmol/(g x min) and (10.60 +/- 0.92) micromol/L vs (13.36 +/- 0.44) micromol/L, while that of homocysteine was significantly higher, (22.32 +/- 1.65) micromol/L) vs (4.90 +/- 1.73) micromol/L.


CONCLUSIONS
Four-week diet with methionine can cause Hhcy and significantly decreased levels of NOS and CO in the penile corpus cavernous in Wistar rats. Hhcy is an independent risk factor of erectile dysfunction.
Chen
Qing-Jun
QJ
Department of Urology, First Hospital Affiliated to Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang 154003, China. cqj555@163.com
Cao
Hui-Feng
HF
Zhang
Dong-Sheng
DS
Yang
Yu-Qi
YQ
Qin
Wen-Bo
WB
Hu
Cun-Li
CL
Hao
Peng
P
D000818:Animals; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D010413:Penis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
D006710:Homocysteine; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase