title: Effects of intravenous injection of adipose-derived stem cells in a rat model of radiation therapy-induced erectile dysfunction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radiation therapy (RT) for prostate cancer is frequently associated with posttreatment erectile dysfunction (ED).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether injection of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) can ameliorate RT-associated ED.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty male rats were divided into three groups. The control + phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) group received tail-vein injection of PBS. The radiation + PBS group received radiation over the prostate and tail-vein injection of PBS. The radiation + ADSC group received radiation over the prostate and tail-vein injection of ADSCs, which were labeled with 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU). Seventeen weeks later, erectile function was evaluated by intracavernous pressure (ICP) in response to electrostimulation of cavernous nerves (CNs). Penile tissue and major pelvic ganglia (MPG) were examined by immunofluorescence (IF) and EdU staining.
  
  
  METHODS
  Erectile function was measured by ICP. Protein expression was examined by IF, followed by image analysis and quantification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Radiation over the prostate caused a significant decrease in erectile function and in the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in penis and MPG. Cavernous smooth muscle (CSM) but not endothelial content was also reduced. Injection of ADSCs significantly restored erectile function, nNOS expression, and CSM content in the irradiated rats. EdU-positive cells were visible in MPG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiation appears to cause ED via CN injury. ADSC injection can restore erectile function via CN regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Knuppe Molecular Urology Laboratory, Department of Urology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0738, USA.
authors.forename: Xuefeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Villalta
authors.forename: Ludovic
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferretti
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Fandel
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albersen
authors.forename: Guiting
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yutian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Tom F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Lue
authors.forename: Ching-Shwun
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010413:Penis / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D011467:Prostate / Q000528:radiation effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley