title: Transplantation of nonhematopoietic adult bone marrow stem/progenitor cells isolated by p75 nerve growth factor receptor into the penis rescues erectile function in a rat model of cavernous nerve injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer frequently results in erectile dysfunction and decreased quality of life. We investigated the effects of transplanting nonhematopoietic adult bone marrow stem/progenitor cells (multipotent stromal cells) into the corpus cavernosum in a rat model of bilateral cavernous nerve crush injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multipotent stromal cells were isolated from the bone marrow of transgenic green fluorescent protein rats by plastic adherence (rat multipotent stromal cells) or magnetic activated cell sorting using antibodies against p75 low affinity nerve growth factor receptor (p75 derived multipotent stromal cells). Bilateral cavernous nerve crush injury was induced in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Immediately after injury 8 rats each were injected intracavernously with phosphate buffered saline (vehicle control), fibroblasts (cell control), rat multipotent stromal cells (cell treatment) or p75 derived multipotent stromal cells (cell treatment). Another 8 rats underwent sham operation (phosphate buffered saline injection). Four weeks after the procedures we assessed erectile function by measuring the intracavernous-to-mean arterial pressure ratio and total intracavernous pressure during cavernous nerve stimulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intracavernous injection of p75 derived multipotent stromal cells after bilateral cavernous nerve crush injury resulted in a significantly higher mean intracavernous-to-mean arterial pressure ratio and total intracavernous pressure compared with all other groups except the sham operated group (p <0.05). Rats injected with typical multipotent stromal cells had partial erectile function rescue compared with animals that received p75 derived multipotent stromal cells. Fibroblast (cell control) and phosphate buffered saline (vehicle control) injection did not improve erectile function. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay suggested that basic fibroblast growth factor secreted by p75 derived multipotent stromal cells protected the cavernous nerve after bilateral cavernous nerve crush injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transplantation of adult stem/progenitor cells may provide an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction after radical prostatectomy.
authors: Department of Urology, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. mkendirci@superonline.com
authors: Muammer
authors: M
authors: Kendirci
authors: Landon
authors: L
authors: Trost
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: Bakondi
authors: Mandolin J
authors: MJ
authors: Whitney
authors: Wayne J G
authors: WJ
authors: Hellstrom
authors: Jeffrey L
authors: JL
authors: Spees
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation; D008297:Male; D039902:Multipotent Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D010413:Penis / Q000293:injuries* / Q000294:innervation*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation
chemical_list: D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor