Transplantation of Muscle-Derived Stem Cells into the Corpus Cavernosum Restores Erectile Function in a Rat Model of Cavernous Nerve Injury

PURPOSE: Muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs) harvested from skeletal muscles have the advantage of providing easier access and do not pose the immunogenic risks of embryonic stem cells. We investigated the effect of intracavernosal transplantation of MDSCs on erectile function in rats with bilateral cavernous nerve injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult male white rats underwent experimentation in 3 groups: group I, sham operation; group II, bilateral cavernous nerve injury; group III, bilateral cavernous nerve injury with MDSC injection. MDSCs were harvested from the femoral muscle of rats and were then injected into the cavernosum. Survival of MDSCs and measurement of erectile function was studied after 4 weeks. We checked the intracavernosal pressure (ICP) and obtained penile tissue. The expression of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) was analyzed. RESULTS: Four weeks after transplantation, PKH-26-labeled MDSCs were identified in the cavernosal tissues of group III. Peak ICP and the drop rate of group II were 52+/-8.7 mmHg and 34+/-6.5 mmHg/min, respectively, whereas peak ICP and the drop rate of group III were 97+/-15.6 mmHg and 17+/-4.9 mmHg/min, respectively, showing that erectile function improved after MDSC transplantation (p<0.05). The expression of cGMP was significantly lower in group II (21.9+/-5.8 fmol/well) than in group I and group III (70.2+/-10.3 and 58.9+/-10.5 fmol/well, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In a cavernous nerve injury rat model, intracavernosal transplantation of MDSCs showed acceptable survival of MDSCs as well as improvement of erectile function.

The Effect of Cyanidin-3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside on the Penile Erection and Corpus Cavernosum in a Rat Model of Diabetic Erectile Dysfunction / 대한남성과학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate Cyanidin-3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside on improvement and protection for erectile function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats (12wks old) were divided into three groups (n=12 in each): normal control, diabetes (DM), and diabetes with Cyanidin-3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (C3G) concentration materials treatment (DM+C3G). DM and DM+C3G group received a single injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg), and 4 wk after induction of diabetes, DM+C3G group were treated with daily C3G (10 mg/kg) dissolved in water for 8 wk. After 12 wk of streptozotocin injections, rats in each group underwent intracavernosal pressure measurement (ICP) and then the corporal tissues were sampled. RESULTS: DM group showed markedly lower erectile parameters than those in the control group, whereas rats in the DM+C3G group showed improved erectile function by minimizing corporal apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: The current study is the first to suggest that Cyanidin-3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside may have a potency to improve and protect erectile function in a rat model of diabetic erectile dysfunction.

The Effects of New Herbal Formula (KBMSI-1) on the Penile Erection and Corpus Cavernosum in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats / 대한남성과학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of new herbal formula (KBMSI-1) on erectile dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 12 weeks and divided into three groups; control (n=8), diabetes (DM) (n=8), DM+KBMSI-1 200 mg/kg treatment (n=8) groups. The DM groups received a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Distilled water was administered in the control and DM group. To investigate the penile erection, intracavernosal pressure (ICP) and intracavernosal pressure/mean arterial pressure (ICP/MAP) were recorded in all groups. Serial sections of the penis were used to perform Masson's trichrome stain. We analyzed the expression of nNOS and eNOS concentration in the isolated corpus cavernosum by western blotting. RESULTS: Peak ICP/MAP ratio was markedly increased in the treatment group with KBMSI-1 compared with DM group (p<0.05). Masson's trichrome staining of corpus cavernosum showed increase in smooth muscle volume and the regular arrangement of collagen fibers in KBMSI-1 treatment group compared with DM group. Western blot analysis revealed that the penile expressions of nNOS and eNOS protein were significantly higher in KBMSI-1-treated group than in DM group. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that herbal formulation of KBMSI-1 enhances the penile erection and the level of eNOS and nNOS expression of penile corpus cavernosum in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model.