title: [Correlation of homocysteine in plasma with NOS and endogenous CO in the penile corpus cavernosum of type 2 diabetic rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the correlation of homocysteine (Hcy) in plasma with nitric oxide synthetase (NOS) and endogenous carbon monoxide (CO) in the penile corpus cavernosum of type 2 diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 40 male Wistar rats, 10 as controls (Group A) and the other 30 as diabetes mellitus (DM) models. Four weeks after the model establishment, the model rats were divided into a DM group (Group B, n = 10), an insulin treated group (Group C, n = 10), and a folic acid and vitamin B12 treated group (Group D, n = 10). All the rats were injected with apomorphine and observed for penile erection at 8 and 12 weeks, and the levels of total plasma Hcy (tHcy), NOS and CO in the penile corpus cavernosum were measured at 12 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with Group A, the level of tHcy was significantly increased, while NOS and CO activities in the penile cavernous tis-sue and erectile function remarkably decreased in Group B (P < 0.01). The incidence rate of high Hcy was 55% in the DM rats. In comparison, the level of tHcy was obviously decreased, and the NOS activity and erectile function markedly increased in Groups C and D (P < 0.01). The Hcy level showed a significant negative correlation with NOS activity (rA = -0.89, rB = -0.76, rc = -0.91, rD = -0.91) and CO content (TA = -0.82, r, = -0.77, rc = -0.93, rD = -0.81).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High plasma Hcy can decrease NOS and CO activities in the penile corpus cavernosum, and consequently induce erectile dysfunction in DM rats, while insulin, folic acid and vitamin B12 can improve their penile erectile function by increasing NOS and CO activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The First Hospital Affiliated to Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongljiang 154003, China.
authors.forename: Shi-Liang
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Gui
authors.forename: Hui-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Hong-Bin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Bao-Jin
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Yu-Gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Shu-Qiu
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-Bo
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Qin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D010413:Penis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D006710:Homocysteine; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D005492:Folic Acid; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D014805:Vitamin B 12