title: Caveolin-1 may participate in the pathogenesis of bladder pain syndrome/ interstitial cystitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether caveolin-1 expression is associated with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) and to better understand the pathogenesis of BPS/IC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population was composed of 19 women with BPS/IC and 7 healthy women as controls. Midstream urine specimens were collected before cystoscopy and cold cup bladder biopsies were obtained from the trigone of the bladder. Caveolin-1 protein expression was determined by indirect immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis in cases and controls, using a rabbit polyclonal antibody against caveolin-1. χ(2) test and Student's t test were used in the statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistical difference of caveolin-1 protein expression was observed between BPS/IC and healthy controls (p < 0.05, χ(2) test). Western blot analysis showed that the mean relative integrated density value of caveolin-1 in (BPS/IC) patients was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.001, Student's t test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our study demonstrate that there is a relationship between the raised levels of caveolin-1 expression and BPS/IC. This preliminary study may provide a basis for further investigation of the role of caveolin-1 in the pathogenesis of BPS/IC.
authors.affiliation: Urological Research Institute of PLA, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Xia-Cong
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Qing-Hua
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhan-Song
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Gen-Sheng
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D051242:Caveolin 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018856:Cystitis, Interstitial / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003558:Cystoscopy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010865:Pilot Projects; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D051242:Caveolin 1