[Protective effect of pAdxsi-ERbeta adenovirus transfection on penile vascular endothelium in ERbetaKO mice].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of the overexpression of the ERbeta gene on the penile vascular endothelium of ERbeta knockout (ERbetaKO) mice and its molecular mechanisms.


METHODS
We randomly divided 12 ERbetaKO male mice into groups A (ERbetaKO + TNFalpha + pAdxsi-ERbeta) and B (ERbetaKO + TNFalpha + empty virus), the former treated by pAdxsi-ERbeta adenovirus transfection, the latter with empty virus, and meanwhile both injected intraperitoneally with TNFalpha at 6 microg per kg body weight per d for 14 days. Then we observed the erectile function of the mice by APO, determined the changes of the endothelial markers CD34 and vWF by immunohistochemical staining, and detected the expressions of the relevant molecules in the eNOS-NO pathway by RT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Compared with group B, group A showed a significantly increased number of penile erections (0.50 +/- 0.55 vs 2.17 +/- 0.41, P < 0.05), shortened erectile latency ([28.83 +/- 1.33] min vs [24.00 +/- 1.27] min, P < 0.05), enriched CD34 and vWF markers (0.67 +/- 0.52 vs 1.50 +/- 0.55 and 0.50 +/- 0.55 vs 1.33 +/- 0.52, both P < 0.05), elevated expressions of eNOS and Cam (RT-PCR: 1.38 +/- 0.03 vs 1.62 +/- 0.05 and 1.02 +/- 0.09 vs 1.42 +/- 0.05, both P < 0.05; Western blot: 1.27 +/- 0.04 vs 1.55 +/- 0.07 and 0.76 +/- 0.05 vs 0.95 +/- 0.08, both P < 0.05), and reduced expression of caveolin-1 (RT-PCR: 2.13 +/- 0.13 vs 1.72 +/- 0.08, P < 0.05; Western blot: 3.99 +/- 0.16 vs 3.40 +/- 0.14, P < 0.05). The results of RT-PCR were consistent with those of Western blot.


CONCLUSIONS
The ERbeta gene protects the penile vascular endothelium via the eNOS-NO pathway.
Department of Urology and Andrology, Nanjing Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210004, China.
Dao-Xian
DX
Qiu
Jie-Hua
JH
Ma
Lian-Jun
LJ
Pan
Yu-Feng
YF
Huang
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D010413:Penis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection
D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496315:Nos3 protein, mouse