Korean J Urol.  2011 May;52(5):359-363.

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

• Woo JC
• Bae WJ
• Kim SJ
• Kim SD
• Sohn DW
• Hong SH
• Lee JY
• Hwang TK
• Sung YC
• Kim SW

Abstract

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.

Keyword

Erectile dysfunction; Stem cells; Transplantation

MeSH Terms

Adult
Animals
Caves
Embryonic Stem Cells
Erectile Dysfunction
Guanosine Monophosphate
Humans
Imidazoles
Male
Muscle, Skeletal
Muscles
Nitro Compounds
Rats
Salicylamides
Stem Cells
Transplants
Guanosine Monophosphate
Imidazoles
Nitro Compounds
Salicylamides

Figure

• 

  FIG. 1 Measurement of erectile function by Papaverine injection. Peak intracavernous pressure (ICP) was higher in group III than in group II. Also, the drop rate was lower in group III than in group II. a: p<0.05.

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  FIG. 2 H&E staining and DAPI staining of group III at week 4. (A) H&E staining. (B) DAPI staining. PKH-26 labeled muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs) were identified in DAPI staining of the cavernosum of group III rats. Red spots: PKH-26.

• 

  FIG. 3 cGMP expression of group III was higher than that of group II. a: p<0.05.

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