title: Effect of adipose tissue-derived stem cell injection in a rat model of urethral fibrosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We sought to evaluate the therapeutic effect of adi-pose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) in a rat model of urethral fibrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen (18) male Sprague-Dawley rats (300‒350 g) were divided into three groups: (1) sham (saline injection); (2) urethral fibrosis group (10 μg transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) injection); and (3) ADSCs group (10 μg TGF-β1 injection plus 2 × 105ADSCs). Rat ADSCs were harvested from rat inguinal fat pads. All study animals were euthanized at two weeks after urethral injection. Following euthanasia, rat urethral tissue was harvested for histologic evaluation. Type I and III collagen levels were quantitated by Western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TGF-β1 injection induced significant urethral fibrosis and increased collagen type I and III expression (p<0.05). Significant decrease in submucosal fibrosis and collagen type I and III expression were noted in the ADSCs group compared with the urethral fibrosis group (p<0.05). TGF-β1 induced fibrotic changes were ameliorated by injection of ADSCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Local injection of ADSCs in a rat model of urethral fibrosis significantly decreased collagen type I and III. These findings suggest that ADSC injection may prevent scar formation and potentially serve as an adjunct treatment to increase the success rate of primary treatment for urethral stricture disease. Further animal and clinical studies are needed to confirm these results.
authors: Division of Urology, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors: Premsant
authors: P
authors: Sangkum
authors: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States.
authors: Faysal A
authors: FA
authors: Yafi
authors: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States.
authors: Hogyoung
authors: H
authors: Kim
authors: Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA, United States.
authors: Mostafa
authors: M
authors: Bouljihad
authors: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States.
authors: Manish
authors: M
authors: Ranjan
authors: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States.
authors: Amrita
authors: A
authors: Datta
authors: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States.
authors: Sree Harsha
authors: SH
authors: Mandava
authors: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States.
authors: Suresh C
authors: SC
authors: Sikka
authors: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States.
authors: Asim B
authors: AB
authors: Abdel-Mageed
authors: Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States.
authors: Wayne J G
authors: WJ
authors: Hellstrom