The effect of cavernous nerve traction on erectile function in rats

Abstract

We performed this study to evaluate the effect of cavernous nerve (CN) traction on erectile function in rats. Thirty-two 8- week-old Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control, 1-minute CN traction, 2-minute CN traction, and 2-minute CN crush. CN traction was performed using a glass hook with a tensile force of 0.2 Newton. One month later, the mean arterial pressure (MAP) and intracavernosal pressure (ICP) in response to CN stimulation were measured to assess erectile function. The penis and major pelvic ganglion (MPG) were harvested to explore the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and neurofilament, fibrosis and apoptosis. The ICP/MAP ratio was reduced in the 2-minute CN traction group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The ICP/MAP ratio in the CN crush group was lower than in the other three groups (P < 0.05, for each). Expression of nNOS in both MPG and dorsal penile nerve was lower in the CN traction group than in the control group, but was higher than in the CN crush group (P < 0.05). Nerve fiber number in the dorsal penile nerve was reduced by 2-minute CN traction (P < 0.05). The ratios of collagen to smooth muscle content and the apoptosis were both increased the in 2-minute CN traction group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The findings indicate that CN traction is an effective CN injury model and the injury it caused is relatively mild compared with the CN crush model.

Restoration of erectile function by suppression of corporal apoptosis and oxidative stress with losartan in aged rats with erectile dysfunction

“…Western blot analysis was performed as previously described. 28 Frozen penile tissues were prepared in ice-cold RIPA buffer (Pierce Afterward, 2 mmol Ac-DEVD-pNA was added. Its absorbance was measured at 405nm with a microplate reader (Thermo), and the corresponding activity was calculated according to the standard curve and normalized by the protein concentration.…”

Association between voiding lower urinary tract symptoms and findings on dynamic magnetic resonance imaging with regard to pelvic organs and their supportive structures

“…2,18 While there have been very limited studies of the effects of traction on autonomic nerves, traction on cavernous nerves caused a decrease in neuronal nitric oxidepositive nerve fibers and an impaired rise in intra-cavernous pressure. 21 Drake et al considered the association between denervation and microcontractions of the bladder. 22 They claimed that during the storage phase, impaired efferent inhibition upon the detrusor due to denervation elicited an increase in microcontractions depending on the severity of the denervation, 22 which wastes muscle energy during the storage phase and exhausts the energy for the next voiding phase.…”

Losartan improves erectile function through suppression of corporal apoptosis and oxidative stress in rats with cavernous nerve injury

“…The corpus cavernosum was homogenized in ice-cold radioimmune precipitation assay (RIPA) Lysis and Extraction Buffer (Pierce Biotechnology, Rockford, IL, USA) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Western blot analysis was performed as previously described 24. After blocking in 5% nonfat milk in Tris-buffered saline Tween (TBST, 20 mmol l −1 Tris-HCl, pH 7.5; 150 mmol l −1 NaCl, 0.1% Tween 20) for 2 h at room temperature, the membranes were incubated overnight at 4°C with antibodies against Nrf2 (1:1000, Cell Signaling Technology), Kelch-like ECH associated protein 1 (Keap-1, 1:1000, Cell Signaling Technology), HO-1 (1:1000, Servicebio), TGF-β1 (1:500, Abcam, Cambridge, UK), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein (Bax, 1:1000, Servicebio), Bcl-2 (1:1000, Servicebio), β-actin (1:5000, Cell Signaling Technology), Bcl-2-associated death promoter (Bad, 1:1000, Servicebio), phosphor-Bad (1:1000, Servicebio), the protein kinase B (AKT, 1:1000, Cell Signaling Technology), and phosphor-AKT (1:1000, Cell Signaling Technology).…”