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Electrotherapy for urethral modulation: Are extracellular matrix molecules and growth factors potential targets?
Author(s) -
Feitosa Suellen M.,
Bortolini Maria A. T.,
Salerno Gisela R. F.,
Bilhar Andreisa P. M.,
Ihara Silvia S. M.,
Simões Manuel J.,
Castro Rodrigo A.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
neurourology and urodynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1520-6777
pISSN - 0733-2467
DOI - 10.1002/nau.24664
Subject(s) - medicine , vascular endothelial growth factor , stimulation , western blot , extracellular matrix , nerve growth factor , messenger rna , immunohistochemistry , endocrinology , biology , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , receptor , vegf receptors
Abstract Aims To evaluate the expression of genes and proteins involved in the urethral components: vessels, nerves, and extracellular matrix, in female rats after trauma by vaginal distension (VD) and after electrical stimulation therapy (electrotherapy). Methods We analyzed the urethras of three groups of 18 female rats 30 days posttrauma by VD: control (no interventions); trauma (animals that had VD); and electrotherapy group (those that had VD and were treated with electrical stimulation). We compared the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), nerve growth factor (NGF), collagen types I and III (COL1a1 and COL3a1), and lysyl‐oxidase like 1 (LOXL1) among the groups. Real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry were used for molecule quantification. We used the Kruskal–Wallis test and analysis of variance for statistical analyses with p < 0.05 for significance. Results The COL1a1 gene expression was higher in the electrotherapy group than the trauma group ( p = 0.036). COL3a1, VEGF, NGF, LOXL1 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression did not differ among the groups ( p ≥ 0.05). COL1a1, COL3a1, VEGF, NGF, LOXL1 protein levels did not significantly differ among the groups ( p ≥ 0.05) in Western blot analysis or immunohistochemistry assays. Conclusions Electrotherapy caused a long‐term increase in the COL1a1 mRNA level but did not change COL1a1 protein expression or VEGF, NGF, COL3a1, and LOXL1 genes and proteins in the urethras of rats after trauma by VD.