title: Plasma myeloperoxidase in patients with erectile dysfunction of arteriogenic- and non-arteriogenic origin: association with markers of endothelial dysfunction.
abstract: Endothelial dysfunction and the disruption of the nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway have been considered the early mechanisms for the development of erectile dysfunction (ED). Myeloperoxidase (MPO), a heme-containing enzyme mainly released by activated neutrophils and monocytes, may contribute to endothelial dysfunction by promoting oxidation of different substrates and thus may play a role in ED. MPO level and its correlation with different plasma biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction were studied in patient with ED of arteriogenic (A-ED) and non-arteriogenic (NA-ED) to assess potential differences between the two ED subgroups. Diagnosis of ED was based on the International Index of Erectile Function Score. Its etiology was classified with penile echo-color Doppler at baseline and after intracavernous injection of prostaglandin E1. MPO, soluble (s) cGMP, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and sP-Selectin were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. MPO concentration in A-ED was significantly higher compared to control subjects and NA-ED patients. Plasmatic cGMP level resulted lower both in A-ED and in NA-ED patients, whereas no difference has been observed between the two ED groups. sICAM-1 concentration resulted higher in A-ED compared both to controls and NA-ED. sVCAM-1 level was the same in controls, A-ED and NA-ED patients. sP-Selectin concentration resulted higher both in A-ED and in NA-ED patients than in controls, whereas no difference has been observed between the two ED groups. Correlation analysis indicated a positive correlation between plasmatic MPO, sICAM-1 and sP-Selectin levels. MPO may represent an important link between oxidation, inflammation and cardiovascular diseases and may also represent a potential marker to distinguish between the two subgroups of ED patients. Moreover, in ED subjects circulating cGMP may reflect the local signaling dysfunction. The use cGMP as a potential marker for monitoring the disease needs further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Cattedra di Patologia Clinica, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dozio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barassi
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Marazzi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vianello
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Colpi
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Solimene
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Melzi D'Eril
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Corsi Romanelli
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D009195:Peroxidase; D006152:Cyclic GMP