title: Combined therapeutic effect of udenafil and adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC)/brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-membrane system in a rat model of cavernous nerve injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prevent cavernous nerve injury and corpus cavernosum apoptosis-induced erectile dysfunction (ED) after prostatectomy surgery, we investigated whether oral administration of udenafil combination with covering adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) immobilized poly-lactic-co-glycolic (PLGA) membrane on the injured cavernous nerve could further improve erectile dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups: normal group (sham-operated group), bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI) group (BCNI group), udenafil group (oral administration of udenafil 20 mg/kg daily), AB group (BCNI group with ADSCs covered with BDNF membrane on cavernous nerve), AB/udenafil group (AB group with udenafil group). After 4 weeks, erectile function was examined before tissue harvest. Penile tissues were evaluated in terms of the expression of smooth muscle actin (SMA), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) level of the corpus cavernosum was quantified by cGMP assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AB/udenafil treatment markedly improved erectile function and prevented the architecture damage of the corpus cavernosum, compared with other treated groups. Udenafil had no statistical significance on increasing nNOS expression, but enhanced VEGF expression. On the contrary, the AB group had no statistical significance on enhancing VEGF expression, but increased nNOS expression. AB/udenafil treatment significantly increased nNOS expression, VEGF expression, and elevated cGMP level, compared with the udenafil group and AB group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The orally administered udenafil combination with ADSC/BDNF-membrane system protected cavernous nerve and improved angiogenesis in the corpus cavernosum, which further maintained erectile function in a rat model of postprostatectomy erectile dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Hun
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Shuyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piao
authors.forename: Ji Ny
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: In Gul
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Se Heang
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Jin Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyuk Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sung Hoo
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Sae Woong
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji Youl
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects*; D010413:Penis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000293:injuries*; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000096926:Benzenesulfonamides
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013449:Sulfonamides; C419664:udenafil; D000096926:Benzenesulfonamides