Premium
Penile erection induces angiogenic, survival, and antifibrotic signals: molecular events associated with penile erection induced by cavernous nerve stimulation in mice
Author(s) -
Kwon MiHye,
Park SooHwan,
Song KangMoon,
Ghatak Kalyan,
Limanjaya Anita,
Ryu DongSoo,
Ock Jiyeon,
Hong SoonSun,
Ryu JiKan,
Suh JunKyu
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international journal of urology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.172
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1442-2042
pISSN - 0919-8172
DOI - 10.1111/iju.13105
Subject(s) - hepatocyte growth factor , medicine , vascular endothelial growth factor , angiogenesis , protein kinase b , mapk/erk pathway , endocrinology , growth factor , nerve growth factor , matrix metalloproteinase , pi3k/akt/mtor pathway , cancer research , signal transduction , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , receptor , vegf receptors
Objectives To determine the molecular events related to penile erection in the corpus cavernosum tissue of mice after electrical stimulation of the cavernous nerve. Methods Twelve‐week‐old male C57BL/6 mice were used in this study. Electrical stimulation of the cavernous nerve was carried out to induce penile erection. Corpus cavernosum tissues were then harvested to determine the effect of nerve‐induced penile erection on signaling pathway involved in angiogenesis (vascular endothelial growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor, angiopoietin‐1, matrix metalloproteinase 2, and matrix metalloproteinase 9), cell survival and proliferation (phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase, phospho‐Akt/Akt, and phospho‐ERK/ERK), and tissue fibrosis (phospho‐Smad2/Smad2, phospho‐Smad3/Smad3, and plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1). Results Cavernous nerve stimulation enhanced the expression of factors involved in angiogenesis (vascular endothelial growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor, angiopoietin‐1, matrix metalloproteinase 2, and metalloproteinase 9), and activated intracellular signaling mediators related to cell survival and proliferation (phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase, phospho‐Akt/Akt, and phospho‐ERK/ERK), while suppressing the pathways involved in tissue fibrosis (phospho‐Smad2/Smad2, phospho‐Smad3/Smad3, and plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1). Conclusions Penile erection in mice is accompanied by the activation of a cascade of signaling pathways involved in angiogenesis, cell survival and proliferation, and antifibrosis. The present results might provide a theoretical and molecular basis for understanding the importance of penile rehabilitation and subsequent restoration of nocturnal or sexually‐mediated penile erections.