Regenerative therapies as a potential treatment of erectile dysfunction

Abstract

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the most common sexual dysfunction disease in adult males. ED can be caused by many factors, such as vascular disease, neuropathy, metabolic disturbances, psychosocial causes, and side effects of medications. Although current oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors can achieve a certain effect, they cause temporary dilatation of blood vessels with no curative treatment effects. Emerging targeted technologies, such as stem cell therapy, protein therapy, and low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (Li-ESWT), are being used to achieve more natural and long-lasting effects in treating ED. However, the development and application of these therapeutic methods are still in their infancy, and their pharmacological pathways and specific mechanisms have not been fully discovered. This article reviews the preclinical basic research progress of stem cells, proteins, and Li-ESWT therapy, as well as the current status of clinical application of Li-ESWT therapy.

Letter to the editor: Gene expression profiling of mouse cavernous endothelial cells for diagnostic targets in diabetes-induced erectile dysfunction

“…Even though phosphodiesterse5 (PDE5) inhibitors are widely used as a first-line therapy for ED, we are confronted with the problem that considerable numbers of patients drop out of PDE5 inhibitor treatment because of its poor effectiveness in certain pathological conditions, nonnegligible adverse effects, and irrelevance to the treatment of cavernous pathology. Research and development (R&D) for new therapeutics, including regenerative therapies, is required to respond to the current clinical situation [ 2 ]. To this end, we need more basic knowledge of physiological and pathological conditions, including diabetic ED, neurogenic ED, and other specific disease-induced ED.…”