title: Upregulation of Angiotensin II Receptor and Connexin 43 in Increased Suburothelial Myofibroblasts in the Rat Inflammatory Bladder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Signaling pathways in suburothelial layer are involved in the bladder sensory response. The expression of angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptors and connexin 43 (Cx43) in suburothelial myofibroblasts was investigated in an acute bladder inflammation model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult female Wistar rats underwent urethral catheterization and received 0.2 mL intravesical infusion of 0.4 M HCl to establish acute bladder inflammation model or 0.2 mL of sterile saline as control (n = 10 rats/group). Eight days after treatment, cystometry was performed. Suburothelial myofibroblasts were also collected and subjected to immunohistochemical staining to examine AT1 receptor and Cx43 expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight days after treatment with HCl to induce acute bladder inflammation, the frequency and basal pressure of the bladder was significantly increased compared with those in control rats. The number of suburothelial myofibroblasts was significantly increased in acute bladder inflammation rats, as was the expression of AT1 receptor and Cx43.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the increased number of suburothelial myofibroblasts, upregulation of AT1 receptor and Cx43 expression may be associated with the pathogenesis of hyperactivation of bladder sensory signaling pathways in acute inflammatory bladder.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephro-Urology, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Course of Medical and Dental Sciences, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, JapanDepartment of Urology, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Shohei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tobu
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephro-Urology, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Course of Medical and Dental Sciences, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, JapanDepartment of Urology, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephro-Urology, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Course of Medical and Dental Sciences, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, JapanDepartment of Urology, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Teppei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hatada
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephro-Urology, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Course of Medical and Dental Sciences, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, JapanDepartment of Urology, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Ken-Ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephro-Urology, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Course of Medical and Dental Sciences, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, JapanDepartment of Urology, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephro-Urology, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Course of Medical and Dental Sciences, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, JapanDepartment of Urology, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakai
keywords: angiotensin II receptor; connexin 43; hypersensitive bladder; myofibroblast