title: A comparison of the expression and contractile function of α1-adrenoceptors in seminal vesicle and vas deferens from normotensive and hypertensive rats.
abstract: Because hypertension related alterations occur in the properties of α(1)-adrenoceptor in several mammalian tissues and hypertension may impact ejaculatory function, we investigated hypertension related alterations in the functional, biochemical and molecular properties of α(1)-adrenoceptor in the rat seminal vesicle and vas deferens. Spontaneous seminal emission in male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats was studied during the 3-day observation period. The characteristics of α(1)-adrenoceptor in the seminal vesicle and epididymal and prostatic portion of vas deferens of the two strains were determined using an isolated muscle bath, radioligand receptor binding and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction techniques. SHRs had significantly higher serum testosterone than WKY rats. However, the daily mean number of ejaculatory plugs emitted and their dry weight in SHRs were significantly lower than those in WKY rats. Although there was no significant difference in the properties of α(1)-adrenoceptor in the prostatic portion of vas deferens between SHRs and WKY rats, the maximum contractile responses to phenylephrine, total α(1)-adrenoceptor density and expression of α(1A)-adrenoceptor mRNA were significantly higher in the seminal vesicle and epididymal portion of vas deferens of SHRs vs. WKY rats. Our data demonstrate the presence of hypertension related alterations in serum testosterone and in α(1)-adrenergic responsiveness of the rat seminal vesicle and vas deferens and suggest that ejaculatory function in SHRs does not mirror these hypertension related alterations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Nishi-Kumamoto Hospital, Medical Co. LTA, 1012 Koga, Tomiai-machi, Minami-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto 861-4157, Japan. yonomakoto@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yono
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Irie
authors.forename: Yukikuni
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Jamshid
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Latifpour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004542:Ejaculation; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1