Tunica albuginea allograft: a new model of LaPeyronie's disease with penile curvature and subtunical ossification.
The pathophysiology of LaPeyronie's disease (PD) is considered to be multifactorial, involving genetic predisposition, trauma, inflammation and altered wound healing. However, these factors have not yet been validated using animal models. In this study, we have presented a new model obtained by tunica albuginea allograft. A total of 40, 16-week-old male rats were used. Of these, 8 rats served as controls and underwent a 10 × 2-mm-wide tunical excision with subsequent autografting, whereas the remaining 32 underwent the same excision with grafting of the defect with another rat's tunica. Morphological and functional testing was performed at 1, 3, 7 and 12 weeks after grafting. Intracavernous pressure, the degree of penile curvature and elastic fiber length were evaluated for comparison between the allograft and control groups. The tissues were obtained for histological examination. The penile curvature was significantly greater in the allografted rats as compared with the control rats. The erectile function was maintained in all rats, except in those assessed at 12 weeks. The elastin fiber length was decreased in the allografted tunica as compared to control. SMAD2 expression was detected in the inner part of the allograft, and both collagen-II- and osteocalcin-positive cells were also noted. Tunica albuginea (TA) allograft in rats is an excellent model of PD. The persistence of curvature beyond 12 weeks and the presence of ossification in the inner layer of the TA were similar to those observed in men with PD. Validation studies using this animal model would aid understanding of the PD pathophysiology for effective therapeutic interventions.
Department of Urology, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France; Department of Urology, Knuppe Molecular Urology Laboratory, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Hospital d'Instruction des Armées Robert Picqué, Villenave D'Ornon, France, .
Ludovic
L
Ferretti
Thomas M
TM
Fandel
Xuefeng
X
Qiu
Haiyang
H
Zhang
Hazem
H
Orabi
Alex K
AK
Wu
Lia
L
Banie
Guifang
G
Wang
Guiting
G
Lin
Ching-Shwun
CS
Lin
Tom F
TF
Lue
D064591:Allografts; D000818:Animals; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004548:Elasticity; D008297:Male; D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000502:physiology*; D010411:Penile Induration / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010413:Penis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
D024043:Collagen Type II; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta