[Expressions of cystathionine-beta-synthase and cystathionine-gamma-lyase in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle of castrated rats].
OBJECTIVE
To study the expressions of cystathionine-beta-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE) in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle of castrated rats and their roles in erectile dysfunction after castration.


METHODS
We randomly assigned 40 eight-week-old male SD rats to groups A (2-week sham-operation), B (4-week sham-operation), C (2-week castration) and D (4-week castration). We determined the level of serum testosterone (T) and the expressions of CBS and CSE in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle of the rats after operation using immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.


RESULTS
The T level was significantly decreased in groups C ([11.85 +/- 6.73] nmol/L) and D ([1.96 +/- 1.23] nmol/L) as compared with A ([89.65 +/- 17.13] nmol/L) and B ([106.75 +/- 19.68] nmol/L) (P < 0.05). CBS and CSE were expressed in all groups of rats, but the relative expressions of CBS and CSE mRNA were significantly lower in groups C (0.93 +/- 0.14 and 0.87 +/- 0.20) and D (0.79 +/- 0.17 and 0.71 +/- 0.12) than in A (2.13 +/- 0.65 and 1.93 +/- 0.15) and B (2.07 +/- 0.53 and 1.89 +/- 0.45) (P < 0. 05), so were the optical density values (IA) of the CBS and CSE proteins, 130.35 +/- 23.56 and 93.56 +/- 36.64 in group C and 80.29 +/- 29.65 and 58.56 +/- 19.95 in group D, as compared with 310.57 +/- 130.56 and 269.56 +/- 116.76 in group A and 349.68 +/-112.35 and 298.35 +/- 100.76 in group B (P < 0.05). The androgen level was positively correlated with the expressions of CBS and CSE in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle of the rats.


CONCLUSIONS
Androgen regulates erectile function via the expressions of CBS and CSE.
Department of Urology, The Second People's Hospital of Deyang City, Deyang, Sichuan 618000, China. luohua060046@163.com
Hua
H
Luo
Lun-Bo
LB
Liu
Ai-Ping
AP
Feng
Yang
Y
Gao
Gao-Yuan
GY
Liao
Ming-Quan
MQ
Qiu
D000818:Animals; D003541:Cystathionine beta-Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D003542:Cystathionine gamma-Lyase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000201:enzymology*; D009919:Orchiectomy; D010413:Penis / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D013739:Testosterone; D003541:Cystathionine beta-Synthase; D003542:Cystathionine gamma-Lyase