title: Effects of prepubertal corticosterone treatment on urinary bladder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this work was to analyze the bladder wall modifications after a chronic treatment with high doses of corticosterone in prepubertal rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 26 male rats assigned into four groups: T30 was treated with corticosterone until 29 days of age and killed at day 30, while T65 group received the same treatment but was killed at day 65. Each group had its own control group (C30 and C65). For treated animals, daily intraperitoneal injections of corticosterone (20 mg/Kg) were administered between 7th and 29th day of life. Bladders were removed and collagen, smooth muscle, elastic fibers system, vascular density and epithelium were analyzed by morphometrical methods, immunofluorescence, and biochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vascular density in lamina propria was reduced by 40% (p<0.05) in group T65. Collagen organization was altered in T30 and T65, although total collagen concentration was unchanged. The T65 group had an increase in elastic system fibers. There was no difference in epithelial height and cell density between the groups. Concerning the smooth muscle fibers density we observed a 19% increase (p<0.05) in the T65 group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prepubertal administration of corticosterone induces structural modifications in the bladder of rats in a medium term analysis.
authors.affiliation: State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gisele S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Diogo B De
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Applied Mathematics, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Célia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cortez
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Applied Mathematics, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dílson
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Waldemar S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco J B
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Sampaio
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000473:pathology; D011897:Random Allocation; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003094:Collagen; D003345:Corticosterone