title: Changes in erectile organ structure and function in a rat model of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
abstract: There is a growing recognition of the association between chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) and erectile dysfunction (ED); however, most of the reports are based on questionnaires which cannot distinguish between organic and functional ED. The purpose of this study was to determine the exact relationship between CP/CPPS and ED, and to investigate the changes in erectile organ structure and function in a rat model of CP/CPPS. We established a rat model of experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP), which is a valid model for CP/CPPS. Erectile function in EAP and normal rats was comparable after cavernous nerve electrostimulation. The serum testosterone and oestradiol levels, ultrastructure of the corpus cavernosum and expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the two groups were similar; however, there was a decrease in smooth muscle-to-collagen ratio and alpha-smooth muscle actin expression and an increase in transforming growth factor-beta 1 expression was observed in EAP rats. Thus, organic ED may not exist in EAP rats. We speculate that ED complained by patients with CP/CPPS may be psychological, which could be caused by impairment in the quality of life; however, further studies are needed to fully understand the potential mechanisms underlying the penile fibrosis in EAP rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: X-J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: L-L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: T-Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: X-H
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Z-W
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: M-G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Z-J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000502:physiology; D010413:Penis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D003094:Collagen; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III
keywords: Animal model; chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome; erectile dysfunction; erectile function; penis structure