title: Androgen deficiency impairs erectile function in rats through promotion of corporal fibrosis.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanism of androgen deficiency inducing corporal fibrosis, thereby causing erectile dysfunction (ED). Forty 12-week-old healthy male rats were divided randomly into four groups: normal control group (Control); castration group (Castration); the other 20 rats were castrated followed by testosterone (T) (orally) each day: castration + 10mg/kg T group (Castration + 10T) and castration + 20 mg/kg T group (Castration + 20T). After 8 weeks' treatment, the main outcome measures were the following: serum levels of T; the ratios of intracavernous pressure (ICP) to mean arterial pressure (MAP); histologic changes in penile smooth muscle cells; the Smad and non-Smad pathways; and extracellular matrix (ECM) protein deposition. Castration group showed lower level of T and ratio of ICP/MAP, reduced ratio of penile smooth muscle cells/collagen, increased extracellular matrix protein deposition, and a higher expression of the Smad and non-Smad pathways. Castration + 10T partially preserved erectile function and histology stabilisation. However, the Castration + 20T group showed significantly better erectile function and molecular changes. Better efficacy could be expected with ART of adequate dose. Androgen deficiency induces corporal fibrosis through activation of the Smad and non-Smad pathways, and accumulation of ECM proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.|Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.|Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.|Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.|Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.|Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.|Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.|Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.|Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.|Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.|Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D062186:Arterial Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002369:Castration; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D008297:Male; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects; D010413:Penis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051785:Smad Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D051785:Smad Proteins; D013739:Testosterone
keywords: Androgen deficiency; Castration; Corporal fibrosis; Erectile dysfunction; Testosterone