title: Effects of quercetin on intracavernous pressure and expression of nitrogen synthase isoforms in arterial erectile dysfunction rat model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oxidative stress involved in the regulation of arterial erectile dysfunction (A-ED). Previously report have indicated that quercetin have an antioxidant effect. In the current study, we have established the rats' model for study the therapeutic effect of quercetin on A-ED and further investigated the molecular mechanism of action.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats were divided into sham group, A-ED group, A-ED group with low dose of quercetin, and A-ED group with high dose of quercetin. Intracavernous pressure (ICP) and mean arterial pressure (MBp) are two important indicators used for evaluation the A-ED. The changes of ICP and MBp were determined by cavernous nerve electrostimulation after treatment of quercetin at indicated doses. The expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) subtypes was detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results indicated that ICP was significantly reduced in A-ED rats model compared with sham group, and was significantly increased after quercetin treatment (P < 0.01), while no significant effect on the MBp. The data also showed that sGC inhibitor ODQ and NOS inhibitor LNNA can significantly inhibited the ICP which induced by quercetin. These results suggest that NO-cGMP signaling pathway plays a crucial role in A-ED. Then, we found that the mRNA and protein levels of eNOS were significantly reduced in A-ED group compared with sham group. After treated with quercetin may cause the eNOS RNA and protein were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.01), showing a dose-dependent effect. iNOS expression have a certain degree of increased after quercetin treatment. nNOS expression was not significantly increased before and after treated with quercetin. In a word, quercetin can improved the A-ED by up-regulated ICP, which related to up-regulation of NO-cGMP signaling pathway.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preliminary results of this study suggested that quercetin protected expression and function of eNOS in cavernous endothelial cells, and restored part of normal function of NO-cGMP pathway in the process of penis erection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Beijing 100102.
authors.forename: Yueyang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Beijing 100102.
authors.forename: Changting
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Beijing 100029.
authors.forename: Shaoming
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Beijing 100102.
authors.forename: Jianqi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Second Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Tianjin 300150.
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology, Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Beijing 100091.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Scientific Research, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Beijing 100102.
authors.forename: Yingyu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Oriental Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Beijing 100078.
authors.forename: Zhijie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Oriental Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Beijing 100078.
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Oriental Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Beijing 100078.
authors.forename: Yusen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Beijing 100102.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology, Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Beijing 100700.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Pinggu District Hospital Beijing 101200.
authors.forename: Xiuju
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: ICP; MBp; NOS; Quercetin; arterial erectile dysfunction (A-ED)