title: Expression of nitric oxide synthase and aquaporin-3 in cyclophosphamide treated rat bladder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The expression of Nitric oxide Synthase (NOS) and aquaporin (AQP) water channels in rat bladder is recently reported. The aim of this study is to evaluate the expression of inducible NOS (iNOS), aquaporin-3 (AQP-3) in cyclophosphamide (CYP) induced rat bladder.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 32 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into cystitis group (n=20) and control group (n=12). In cystitis group, 100mg/kg CYP was injected every second day for 1 week whereas in control group, normal saline was injected. After extracting of the bladder and dividing dome, body and trigone of the bladder, independently H&E staining and immunohistochemical staining for iNOS and AQP-3 were performed. Expressions of iNOS and AQP-3 were analyzed with a confocal laser scanning microscope and an image analyzer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of iNOS significantly increased in the mucosa, submucosa layer of dome in cystitis group (p<0.05). The expression of AQP-3 significantly increased in the mucosa, submucosa, vessel layer of dome in cystitis group (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that inflammatory change activates NOS and AQP-3 expression in the bladder tissue of rats. These may imply that NOS and AQP-3 have a pathophyiological role in the cyclophophamide induced interstitial cystitis. Further study on the NOS and AQP-3 in bladder is needed for clinical application.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The Armed Forces Daejeon Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Kun Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jae Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hyun
authors.forename: Young Seop
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yong Gil
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Ju Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Ki Hak
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Song