Expressions of vaginal endothelial nitric oxide synthase and phosphodiesterase 5 in female sexual dysfunction: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to investigate the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 in vaginal tissue of premenopausal women experiencing stress urinary incontinence (SUI) with and without sexual dysfunction.


METHODS
Women presenting for treatment of SUI were screened using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and 10 were selected who met the criteria for female sexual dysfunction (FSD) and 10 asymptomatic controls. Vaginal tissue specimens were obtained from those premenopausal women aged ≥40 years who had had sexual activity ≥2 times every month for the last 6 months and who were scheduled to undergo surgery for SUI. FSD criteria was FSFI scores <18 and arousal domain scores <3. The control group had FSFI scores ≥26 and individual domain scores ≥4. The expressions of eNOS and PDE 5 were compared in the two groups using immunofluorescence staining and western blotting.


RESULTS
The mean total FSFI scores were 30.4 ± 2.6 and 15.3 ± 2.3 in the control and FSD groups respectively. In immunofluorescence staining, eNOS and PDE5 were localized in the vaginal epithelium. In western blotting, the expressions of eNOS and PDE5 were significantly lower in the FSD group than in the control group (p = 0.003 and p = 0.038 respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
eNOS and PDE5 in the vagina may play important roles in the pathophysiology of FSD.
Department of Urology, Bucheon St Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Kang Jun
KJ
Cho
Department of Urology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kyu-Sung
KS
Lee
Department of Urology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Myung-Soo
MS
Choo
Department of Urology, Cheil General Hospital and Women's Healthcare Center, Dankook University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Ju Tae
JT
Seo
Department of Urology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Jang Hwan
JH
Kim
Department of Urology, Ajou University Hospital, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
Jong Bo
JB
Choi
Department of Urology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Seung-June
SJ
Oh
Department of Urology, Bucheon St Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea. kjc@catholic.ac.kr.
Joon Chul
JC
Kim
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D054706:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5 / Q000032:analysis*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000032:analysis*; D017697:Premenopause; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014621:Vagina / Q000201:enzymology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D054706:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5
Endothelial nitric oxide synthase; Phosphodiesterase 5; Physiological sexual dysfunction; Vagina
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