title: Influence of a hypercholesterolemic diet on the collagen composition of the bladder wall extracellular matrix in rats.
abstract: To investigate the effects of hypercholesterolemic diet on the collagen composition of urinary bladder wall.
  
  
  
  Forty-five female 4-week-old Wistar rats were divided into three groups: 1) control group fed a normal diet (ND); 2) model of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) group fed a ND; and 3) group fed a HCD (1.25% cholesterol). Total serum cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and body weight were assessed at baseline. Four weeks later, group 2 underwent a surgical procedure resulting in a partial BOO, while groups 1 and 3 underwent a sham similar surgical procedure. Six weeks later, all animals had their bladders removed; serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels and body weights were measured. Morphological and morphometric analysis was performed by Picrosirius staining and collagen types I and III were identified by immunofluorescence. Statistical analysis was completed and significance was considered when p<0.05.
  
  
  
  Rats fed an HCD exhibited a significant increase in LDL cholesterol levels (p<0.001) and body weight (p=0.017), when compared to the groups fed a ND during the ten-week study period. Moreover, the HCD induced morphological alterations of the bladder wall collagen, regarding thin collagen fibers and the amounts of type III collagen when compared to the control group (p=0.002 and p=0.016, respectively), resembling the process promoted in the BOO model.
  
  
  
  A hyper-cholesterolemic diet in Wistar rats promoted morphological changes of the bladder types of collagen, as well as increases in body weight and LDL cholesterol.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil. rcnunes@uninet.com.br
authors.forename: R L V
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bruschini
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Utsunomia
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Teodoro
authors.forename: K R M
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Srougi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D024022:Fibrillar Collagens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001748:Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III; D024022:Fibrillar Collagens