title: Collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (Xiaflex) for the Treatment of Urethral Stricture Disease in a Rat Model of Urethral Fibrosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the treatment effect of collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) in a rat model of urethral fibrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats (300-350 g) were divided into 5 groups. The rat urethra was injected with normal saline in the sham group and, in the other 4 groups, the rat urethra was injected with 10 μg of transforming growth factor beta 1 to create fibrosis of the urethra. Two weeks following transforming growth factor beta 1 injection, the rats were injected with varying doses of CCH or vehicles, depending on their group. The rats were then euthanized at 4 weeks after CCH or vehicle injection. Urethral tissue was harvested for histologic and molecular analyses. Type I and III collagen levels were evaluated by Western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was urethral fibrosis and to significant increase in collagen type I and III expressions in the urethral fibrosis group compared with the sham group (P <.05). Urethral injection of CCH appeared to be safe and significantly reduce urethral fibrosis as well as collagen type I and III expressions in the high-dose CCH treatment groups when compared with the treatment control group (P <.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated a beneficial effect of CCH injections in a rat model of urethral fibrosis. These findings suggest a potential role for CCH as a therapeutic option in urethral stricture patients and warrant further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Premsant
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sangkum
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Faysal A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Yafi
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Hogyoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bouljihad
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Manish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ranjan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Amrita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Datta
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Sree Harsha
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mandava
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Suresh C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sikka
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Asim B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Abdel-Mageed
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Krishnarao
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moparty
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA. Electronic address: whellst@tulane.edu.
authors.forename: Wayne J G
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hellstrom
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D003012:Microbial Collagenase / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014521:Urethra / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D003012:Microbial Collagenase