J Korean Med Sci.  2016 Apr;31(4):585-589. 10.3346/jkms.2016.31.4.585.

Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Erectile Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Atherosclerosis-induced Chronic Pelvic Ischemia

• Shim JS
• Kim DH
• Bae JH
• Moon DG

• KMID: 2363698
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2016.31.4.585

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the omega-3 fatty acids help to improve erectile function in an atherosclerosis-induced erectile dysfunction rat model. A total of 20 male Sprague-Dawley rats at age 8 weeks were divided into three groups: Control group (n = 6, untreated sham operated rats), Pathologic group (n = 7, untreated rats with chronic pelvic ischemia [CPI]), and Treatment group (n = 7, CPI rats treated with omega-3 fatty acids). For the in vivo study, electrical stimulation of the cavernosal nerve was performed and erectile function was measured in all groups. Immunohistochemical antibody staining was performed for transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and hypoxia inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α). In vivo measurement of erectile function in the Pathologic group showed significantly lower values than those in the Control group, whereas the Treatment group showed significantly improved values in comparison with those in the Pathologic group. The results of western blot analysis revealed that systemically administered omega-3 fatty acids ameliorated the cavernosal molecular environment. Our study suggests that omega-3 fatty acids improve intracavernosal pressure and have a beneficial role against pathophysiological consequences such as fibrosis or hypoxic damage on a CPI rat model, which represents a structural erectile dysfunction model.

Keyword

Erectile Dysfunction; Fatty Acids, Omega-3; Ischemia; Rats

MeSH Terms

Animals
Atherosclerosis/*complications
Blotting, Western
Carotid Arteries/physiology
Chronic Disease
Disease Models, Animal
Electric Stimulation
Fatty Acids, Omega-3/*pharmacology
Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism
Ischemia/etiology/*pathology
Male
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III/metabolism
Penile Erection/*drug effects
Penis/metabolism/pathology
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism
Fatty Acids, Omega-3
Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III
Transforming Growth Factor beta1

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The protein expression of the experimental groups analyzed using western blotting. TGF-β1, transforming growth factor β1; HIF-1α, hypoxia induced factor 1α; eNOS, endothelial nitric oxide synthase. Alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) served as a control for the loading. *P < 0.05, statistically significant difference between the pathologic group and omega-3 fatty acids treated group.

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