epidermal-growth-factor and Erectile-Dysfunction

Topics: Adipose Tissue; Adult; Aged; Blood Vessels; Cell Differentiation; Cellular Senescence; Epidermal Growth Factor; ErbB Receptors; Erectile Dysfunction; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Genome, Human; Humans; Male; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Middle Aged; Penis; Receptors, Androgen; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; RNA, Messenger; Signal Transduction; Stromal Cells; Tissue Array Analysis; Transforming Growth Factor beta

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a risk factor for erectile dysfunction (ED), but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. The aims of this study were to determine the underlying mechanisms of metabolic syndrome-related ED (MED). Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were fed a high-fat diet for 6 months, and metabolic parameters were then assessed. An apomorphine test was conducted to confirm MED. Only rats with MED were administered an intracavernosal injection of either epidermal growth factor (EGF) or vehicle for 4 weeks. Erectile responses were evaluated by determining the mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and intracavernosal pressure (ICP). Levels of protein expression were examined by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Body weight, fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin and plasma total cholesterol were increased in the MetS rats compared with those in control rats (each p < 0.05). The  maximum ICP/MAP, total ICP/MAP and concentration of cyclic guanosine mono-phosphate (cGMP) were significantly decreased in MED rats (each p < 0.05). The expression levels of p110α, p-Akt1 (Tyr308)/Akt1 and p-eNOS (Ser1177)/eNOS were reduced in MED rats (each p < 0.05). Activation of the PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling cascade (intracavernosal injection of EGF) reversed these changes (each p < 0.05). The present study demonstrates that downregulation of the PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling pathway is involved in MED.

Topics: Animals; Biomarkers; Cyclic GMP; Diet, High-Fat; Disease Models, Animal; Enzyme Activation; Epidermal Growth Factor; Erectile Dysfunction; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Metabolic Syndrome; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; Penile Erection; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Phosphorylation; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Rats; Signal Transduction