title: Hyperhomocysteinaemia in rats is associated with erectile dysfunction by impairing endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity.
abstract: To investigate the effect of hyperhomocysteinaemia (HHCy) on penile erectile function in a rat model, a methionine-rich diet was used in which erectile function, the reproductive system, and nitric oxide synthase were characterized. The intracavernous pressure, apomorphine experiments, measurement of oxidative stress, hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions and measurement of endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity were utilized. Our results showed that erections in the middle-dose, high-dose, and interference (INF) groups were significantly lower than the control (P < 0.05). INF group, being fed with vitamins B and folic acid, demonstrated markedly improved penile erections compared with the middle-dose group (P < 0.05). HHCy-induced eNOS and phospho-eNOS protein expression was reduced and the antioxidant effect was markedly impaired. The data of the present data provide evidence that HHCy is a vascular risk factor for erectile dysfunction by impairing cavernosa endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity. Intake of vitamins B can alleviate this abnormality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction and Genetics, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Weijun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic surgery, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction and Genetics, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, P.R. China.
authors.lastname: Bin Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction and Genetics, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction and Genetics, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction and Genetics, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction and Genetics, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qiuyue
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction and Genetics, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Tianfu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction and Genetics, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Cui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction and Genetics, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Mingchao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproduction and Genetics, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xinyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology*; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C496316:Nos3 protein, rat