Influences of Chronic Indirect Cigarette Smoking on the Expression of TGF-beta1 and eNOS in Rat Vagina / 대한남성과학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of chronic indirect cigarette smoking on vaginal blood flow and on histological change in a rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats (12 weeks old, n=40) were devided into smoking and control group. For the exposure to passive smoking, the rat, in plastic enclosure, had a constant influx of cigarette smoke using a smoking generator for 8 weeks in smoking group. The experimental group was exposured to cigarette smoke for 1 hour, twice a day, daily for 8 weeks. Vaginal blood flow was measured by laser Doppler flowmeter. Serum estrogen concentration was measured using competitive radioimmunoassay. Immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis was done to observe the expression of TGF-beta1 and e-NOS. RESULTS: Mean vaginal blood flow (ml/min/100g tissue) significantly decreased in smoking group (13.4+/-1.6) compared to control (19.6+/-5.9)(p<0.05). The estimated concentration of serum estradiol (pg/ul) was similar between smoking (1.1+/-0.8) group and control (1.1+/-0.3) group. Vaginal histology of the cigarette smoking group was similar to the control. In the cigarette smoking group, the immunoreactivity of TGF-beta1 increased in the smooth muscle and fibroblasts. The protein expression of TGF-beta1 was increased in the smoking group (p<0.05). There was no significant differences in expression of e-NOS between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: A chronic indirect exposure to cigarette smoke significantly reduces vaginal blood flow and appears to cause vaginal tissue fibrosis in the female rat model. This suggest that cigarette smoking has adverse effects on female sexual functions and may cause sexual arousal disorder in women.