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Bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) is a common problem that can affect bladder structure and function. Currently, there is no effective drugs available to prevent BOO-induced remodeling. Previous reports have demonstrated that the pathogenesis of BOO is associated with macrophage infiltration and polarization, which is physiologically dependent on colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF-1R) activation. Here we utilized a highly selective CSF-1R inhibitor, GW2580, to determine its preventive effects on BOO-induced remodeling.A total of 24 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham, BOO + vehicle, and BOO + GW2580 group. GW2580 or vehicle control was administrated by oral gavage at daily doses of 40 mg/kg for 6 weeks. Bladder samples were collected for histopathology, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western blotting, and flow cytometry analysis.Our results demonstrated that bladder fibrosis was ameliorated by GW2580 compared with the vehicle group (22.01% ± 5.13% vs. 32.15% ± 7.24%, p 0.01). Furthermore, treatment with GW2580 induced an inhibition of macrophage infiltration (4.41% ± 1.28% vs. 13.57% ± 3.42%, p 0.001) and M2 macrophage polarization (10.67% ± 4.15% vs. 28.59% ± 6.38%, p 0.001). There was also a decrease of profibrotic F4/80In summary, our findings showed that GW2580 is a worthwhile candidate for a follow-up study to test in the treatment of BOO-induced remodeling.

Bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) is a prevalent condition arising from urethral stricture, posterior urethral valves and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Long-term obstruction can lead to bladder remodeling, which is characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration, detrusor hypertrophy and fibrosis. Until now, there have been no efficacious therapeutic options for BOO-induced remodeling. Tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs) are a type of novel three-dimensional DNA nanomaterial that possesses excellent antifibrotic effects. Here, we aimed to determine the treatment effects of tFNAs on BOO-induced remodeling. Four single-strand DNAs were self-assembled to form tetrahedral framework DNA nanostructures, and the antifibrotic effects of tFNAs were investigated in an in vivo BOO animal model and an in vitro transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1)-induced fibrosis model. The results demonstrated that tFNAs could ameliorate BOO-induced bladder fibrosis and dysfunction by inhibiting M2 macrophage polarization and the macrophage-myofibroblast transition (MMT) process. Furthermore, tFNAs regulate M2 polarization and the MMT process by deactivating the signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat) and TGF-β1/small mothers against decapentaplegic (Smad) pathways, respectively. This is the first study to reveal that tFNAs might be a promising nanomaterial for the treatment of BOO-induced remodeling. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to assess the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in aged patients (older than 65 years) with and without stress urinary incontinence (SUI). METHODS We evaluated the components of MetS in 460 SUI patients and 460 age-matched women without urinary incontinence from January 2009 to October 2019. Stress urinary incontinence was diagnosed by clinical complaint and the presence of involuntary urine leakage during physical activity. Definition of MetS was on the basis of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III recommendations definition (NCEPATPIII) and the International Diabetes Federation criteria (IDF). RESULTS Totally, 460 SUI patients with the median age of 70 years were eventually included in the study. Subsequently, 460 age-matched controls were selected. The prevalence of MetS was more frequent in SUI patients based on the NCEPATPIII (43.04% vs 19.78%, P < 0.0001) and IDF criteria (45.22% vs 20.22%, P < 0.0001). Moreover, logistic regression analysis revealed that MetS significantly increased the risk of SUI (odds ratio = 3.06, 95% confidence interval = 2.28-4.09) according to the NCEPATPIII definition and (odds ratio = 3.26, 95% confidence interval = 2.43-4.34) on the basis of IDF criteria compared with controls. Patients in the SUI group had a statistically higher body mass index (P < 0.0001), larger waist (P < 0.0001), higher level of fasting blood glucose (P = 0.0001), triglycerides (P = 0.00), and systolic blood pressure (P = 0.0001) than controls. Patients with SUI demonstrated a statistically worse symptom score in all aspects compared with controls (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of MetS was higher in older women with SUI than in an age- and sex-matched control group without clinical SUI. Further studies are warranted to determine the pathophysiology mechanism of SUI and MetS.

Organophosphate (OP) insecticides are the main chemicals used in agriculture for pest elimination, and they have been linked with many diseases. However, there is no literature regarding the impacts of organophosphate insecticide metabolite exposure on erectile dysfunction (ED). We aimed to evaluate the correlation between 4 urinary organophosphate insecticide metabolites and the presence of ED in a representative sample of men aged 20 and older. The dataset including a total of 555 subjects was obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004. ED was assessed by a question from a self-report questionnaire. Weighted proportions and multivariable logistic regression analysis were utilized to examine the relationship between organophosphate insecticide metabolite exposure and ED. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, diethylphosphate (DEP) was positively correlated with ED (OR 1.07; 95% CI 1.01-1.14; P = 0.033) after full adjustment. Men in DEP tertile 4 had a significant 33% higher risk of ED than those in tertile 1. Furthermore, in a subgroup analysis, our results showed that higher DEP levels were significantly associated with ED in the young age group (20 ≤ age ≤ 39). Our study revealed a significant association between organophosphate insecticide metabolite exposure and an increased risk of ED. Moreover, the correlations were more evident in the young age group. The evaluation of urinary organophosphate insecticide metabolite exposure should be included in the risk assessment of ED. Further study to investigate the underlying mechanism, such as how long the urinary metabolite is present, whether ED is reversible in this population by lowering DEP concentrations, and how exposure to this metabolite affects erectile tissue, is warranted.

Background To determine whether previous unsuccessful shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) influence the outcomes of ureteroscopy (URS). Methods An exhaustive search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were conducted to find eligible studies before October 2020. Result variables consisting stone-free rate (SFR), operation time and postoperative modified Clavien grade I-IV complications were pooled utilizing RevMan 5.3. Results Seven studies with 2413 individuals were included. Pooled results revealed that the salvage URS after failed SWL was similar to URS performed primarily regarding SFR [odds ratio (OR) =0.84, P=0.15] and operation time [weighted mean difference (WMD) =6.79, P=0.19]. Additionally, no statistically significant differences concerning fever (OR: 1.36; P=0.32), hematuria (OR: 0.81; P=0.75), urinary tract infection (OR: 1.57; P=0.28), renal colic (OR: 1.94; P=0.50), ureteral perforation (OR: 1.44; P=0.46), ureteral avulsion (OR: 1.21; P=0.83), stone migration (OR: 0.92; P=0.86) and sepsis (OR: 0.46; P=0.38) were observed between salvage URS and primary URS group. Discussion The success rates and complications of URS were not impacted by previous unsuccessful SWL. The salvage URS is equally effective and safe to primary URS.

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness and safety of retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) under regional anesthesia (RA) vs general anesthesia (GA). Methods: In February 2020, a comprehensive sear...

BackgroundStudies have reported that diabetes is related to the prognosis of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU), but this conclusion is still controversial. Here, we performed a meta-analysis to comprehensively explore the association between diabetes and UTUC prognosis.MethodsIn November 2020, we searched PubMed, Web of science and the Cochrane Library to find relevant studies that evaluated the effect of diabetes on the prognosis of UTUC. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the literature. Review Manager 5.3 was used to pool cancer-specific survival (CSS), overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS) and intravesical recurrence (IVR).ResultsA total of 10 studies with 11,303 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Our pooled results showed that diabetes did not affect the survival outcome of UTUC, including CSS (HR: 1.33, 95% CI: 0.89-1.98; P = 0.16), OS (HR: 1.18, 95% CI: 0.77-1.80; P = 0.45) and RFS (HR: 1.37, 95% CI: 0.91-2.05; P = 0.13). However, diabetes increased the risk of IVR of UTUC patients (HR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.11-1.43; P = 0.0004).ConclusionAlthough diabetes has no significant impact on the survival outcomes of UTUC after RNU, it increases the risk of IVR. Therefore, special attention should be paid to monitoring the IVR for UTUC patients with diabetes and the necessity of appropriate intravesical adjuvant treatment when needed.

BACKGROUND The causal effects of individual risk factors of metabolic syndrome on erectile dysfunction (ED) are still unclear OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the causal effect of risk factors of metabolic syndrome on ED through Mendelian randomization (MR). MATERIALS AND METHODS Data for risk factors were obtained from multiple databases with 173,082 to 757,601 individuals, and that for ED were collected from a genome-wide association study including 223,805 Europeans. We performed univariate MR analysis using inverse-variance weighted, MR-Egger, weighted-median, weighted mode methods and multivariable MR analysis to evaluate the total and direct causal effects. RESULTS The univariable MR supported that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.08-1.21, p < 0.001) and body mass index (BMI) (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.12-1.44, p < 0.001) were associated with ED. After excluding the SNPs associated with BMI and other risk factors, the results of multivariable MR for T2D (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.05 -1.25, p = 0.001) remained consistent. However, the results of multivariable MR provided limited evidence for the causality between BMI and ED (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.88 -1.29, p = 0.532). For systolic blood pressure and lipid components (low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and triglycerides), both univariable and multivariable MR failed to offer sufficient evidence to confirm their causal effect on ED. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION T2D showed a direct causal effect on ED independent of obesity and dyslipidemia. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Background The management of ureteral stricture is still a challenge for urologists. The aim of this prospective study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of self-expanding metal ureteral stents (URS) in ureteral strictures. Methods We performed URS placement procedures for ureteral stricture from Jan 2019 to July 2020, and prospectively collect various data before and after the operation. A paired T test was used to compare continuous variables before and after surgery, binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk predictors of surgical failure. Results A total of 147 patients with 157 renal units received successful placement of URS. The mean operative time was 70.0 min. After a median follow-up time of 15 months, 73.2% (115/157) of stents were kept in situ. The most common complication was hematuria (13, 8.8%), followed by urinary tract infection (11, 7.5%) and pain (8, 5.4%). The volume of hydronephrosis (67.9 ± 34.9 VS 34.9 ± 51.1 cm3, P = 0.0001), serum creatinine level (103.0 ± 54.5 VS 93.8 ± 45.1 μmol/L, P = 0.034) and blood urea nitrogen level (6.6 ± 6.7 VS 5.4 ± 2.4 mmol/L, P = 0.032) decreased significantly at last follow up when compared with baseline. Stricture of the distal ureter was an independent risk factor for stent failure (HR 1.77, 95% CI 1.15, 2.73, P = 0.009). Conclusions URS was found to be safe and effective for ureteral strictures with a limited complications and good long-term results. For those who are not suitable for surgical reconstruction, the URS is an alternative management.

OBJECTIVE To outline our step-by-step technique for the endoscopic treatment of ureteric stricture. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between January 2019 and June 2020, 25 patients with ureteric strictures underwent ureteric bypass and were included in this study. The ureteric bypass surgery included three key steps. First, holmium laser endoureterotomy was used to establish a small channel. Then, balloon dilatation was performed to create a large channel. Finally, an Allium stent was inserted. RESULTS Over a median follow-up time of 12 months, the success rate of ureteric bypass surgery was 92.0% (23/25). The median operating time was 78 min. The incidence of pain was 16% (4/25), and the incidence of fever was 4.0% (1/25). The preoperative hydronephrosis volume and urea nitrogen levels decreased significantly after surgery. CONCLUSIONS We performed ureteric bypass for patients with ureteric strictures. This technique was found to be safe and effective over a short follow-up time. For patients who are not suitable for surgical reconstruction, the ureteric bypass technique is a good choice.

Aims The cellular functions of bladder urothelial cells in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) have not been well revealed and understood. Thus, the study aims to identify key genes and significant pathways in urothelium corresponding to IC/BPS in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cystitis model and provide novel clues related to diagnosis and treatment of IC/BPS. Methods Human urothelial cells (HUCs) were incubated with LPS (50 μg/ml for 24 h). Microarray was applied to analyze the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HUCs under LPS treatment and the control group. DEGs in the two groups were identified and then used for enrichment analysis. Subsequently, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network based on DEGs was constructed. Lastly, the top five key genes were identified through the Cytoscape (version 3.7.2) using the "Clustering Coefficient" algorithm. Results One hundred and seventy-one DEGs (96 upregulated genes and 75 downregulated genes) were identified between the LPS treatment and control group. The established PPI network was composed of 169 nodes and 678 edges. Moreover, C19orf33, TRIM31, MUC21, ELF3, and IFI27 were identified as hub genes in the PPI network. Subsequently, a statistically increased expression level of TRIM31 and ELF3 was validated by real-time quantitative-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry in bladder tissues from 20 patients with IC/BPS. Conclusions TRIM31 and ELF3 may be the two hub genes in urothelium corresponding to IC/BPS. More studies are warranted to further validate the findings. The identified marker genes may be useful targets for further studies to develop diagnostic tools and more effective therapies for a broader group of women with IC/PBS.

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to assess the clinical outcomes of mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (Miniperc) and shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) for medium-sized renal stones. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION A literature search was performed in February 2020 using the Pubmed, Web of Science and Embase. The outcome measurements between two procedures were stone-free rates (SFR), complication rates, operative time, hospitalization stay time, re-treatment rate, auxiliary procedures rate and efficiency quotient. Results were pooled by Review Manager version 5.3 software. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS Seven studies on 936 patients (N.=471 for SWL and N.=465 for Miniperc) were included. Miniperc was associated with a higher SFR (OR: 0.25; P

The aim of this review was to comprehensively assess the effectiveness and safety of fluoroless ureteroscopy (URS) vs. conventional URS for urinary stones.An exhaustive search on PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were performed to find eligible research before May 2020. Result parameters including stone-free rate (SFR), operation time, repeat procedure rate and complication rate were assessed using RevMan 5.3 (Cochrane Training; https://training.cochrane.org/online-learning/core-software-cochrane-reviews/revman/revman-5-download).Seven studies (5 retrospective studies and 2 prospective randomized controlled trials) involving 1404 individuals were included. Pooled results demonstrated that the operation time in fluoroless URS group was slightly longer than conventional URS group (weighted mean difference [MD]=2.79, P=0.0001), but no statistically significant differences regarding SFR (odds ratio [OR]=1.18, P=0.57), repeat procedure rate (OR=1.32, P=0.52), and total complication rate (OR=0.75, P=0.16) were observed between two techniques.Flourless URS is equally safe and effective to conventional URS procedure with zero radiation exposure. However, it needs to be cautiously conducted in selected patients and fluoroscopy equipment should always be available intraoperatively.

Background: To assess the efficacy and safety of mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (Miniperc) and micropercutaneous nephrolithotomy (Microperc) for moderately sized renal stones. Methods: Literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase was performed before January 2020. We used odds ratios (OR) and weighted mean difference (WMD) for dichotomous variables and continuous variables, respectively. Results were pooled by Review Manager version 5.3 software. Results: A total of 4 studies involving 172 Microperc and 162 Miniperc cases were included. The overall SFR of Microperc was 86.05% (148/172), while the SFR of the Miniperc was 87.65% (142/162). Microperc was associated with lower hemoglobin drop (WMD: -0.98; P = 0.03), higher renal colic requiring D-J stent insertion (OR: 3.49; P=0.01). No significant differences exist between Microperc and Miniperc with respect to stone-free rate (SFR) (OR: 0.90; P=0.75), urinary tract infection (OR: 0.38; P=0.18), operative time (WMD: 14.73; P = 0.54) and hospital stay time (WMD: -1.04; P=0.07). Conclusions: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that Microperc could obtain comparable SFR with Miniperc. Microperc was associated with lower hemoglobin drop, but Miniperc was associated with lower renal colic rates. In addition, the operation time and hospital stay time for these two procedures were similar.

Bladder growth and development require continuous mechanical stimuli; however, abnormal mechanical conditions caused by partial bladder outlet obstruction (PBOO) result in detrusor smooth muscle hypertrophy and extracellular matrix accumulation. Our previous study demonstrated that PBOO induced an increase in monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) expression. To extensively illustrate whether and how MCP-1 participates in the remodeling of PBOO, we assess the pivotal effect of MCP-1 and its specific receptor chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2 (CCR2) on the proliferation and contraction of human bladder smooth muscle cells (hBSMCs) under pathological hydrostatic pressure (HP). HP markedly promoted hBSMC proliferation and enhanced cell contraction along with the increase in MCP-1 expression. Recombinant human MCP-1 (rhMCP-1) enhanced HP-induced hBSMC proliferation and contraction. CCR2 antagonists and MCP-1 silencing reversed HP-induced proliferation and contraction. In addition, MCP-1-induced protein 1 (MCPIP1) silencing attenuated the contraction, but not the proliferation, induced by HP, whereas serum-glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) silencing prevented the rhMCP-1-induced proliferation of hBSMCs under HP. Decrease of reactive oxygen species (ROS) level downregulated MCP-1 expression; in turn, rhMCP-1 promoted the generation of ROS. In conclusion, we demonstrated that pathological HP-promoted hBSMC proliferation was mainly regulated by the MCP-1/CCR2- SGK1 pathway and hBSMCs contraction was mainly moderated by the MCP-1/CCR2 -MCPIP1 pathway. [Figure: see text].

AIMS To test a kind of stretch pattern which is the optimum stress parameter to promote human urothelial cells (HUCs) proliferation, and to investigate the roles of integrin subunits and their pathway in the HUCs proliferation induced by physiological stretch. METHODS HUCs were seeded on silicone membrane, and subjected to four kinds of stretch (0,5%,10%,15% elongation) for 24 h, as controlled by a BioDynamic® bioreactor. Cell proliferation, viability and cycle distribution were examined using Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry, respectively. The gene and protein expression of integrin subunits and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in each group were assessed by Real-time PCR(RT-PCR) and western blot, respectively. Small interfering RNAs (siRNA) were applied to knockdown integrin α6 and FAK expression in HUCs, and FAK inhibitor was used to validate the role of α6 and FAK in cell proliferation under physiological stretch. RESULTS The proliferation of HUCs were highest in the 5% elongation group compared to static control, 10% and 15% elongation group. RT-PCR and western blot showed that 5% cyclic stretch significantly promoted the expression of integrin α6 and FAK. The stretch-induced cell proliferation and FAK expression was inhibited by siRNA of integrin α6. Further study with FAK inhibitor revealed that elongation promoted proliferation though integrin α6 and FAK signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS Physiological stretch induced HUCs proliferation via integrin α6-FAK signaling pathway, and 5% elongation may be the optimal stress parameter to promote the cell proliferation.

To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of diode laser enucleation of the prostate (DiLEP) versus bipolar plasma kinetic enucleation of the prostate (PKEP) in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A systematic literature search was undertaken using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and CKNI databases to identify eligible studies published before April 2019. The quality of evidence and methodology was assessed. Primary outcomes were clinical and demographic characteristics and postoperative efficacy including maximum flow rate (Qmax), postvoid residual (PVR), quality of life (QoL), and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS); secondary outcomes were intraoperative variables and major complications. Meta-analyses of extracted data were performed with the RevMan version 5.2. The overall effects were determined by the Z-test, and a p value less than 0.05 was considered with significant difference. A fixed- or random-effect model was chosen to fit the pooled heterogeneity (determined by Chi-squared test and I2). As qualified trials were few, subgroup analyses were not performed. Four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 451 patients were enrolled in our meta-analysis. In the included trials, all the diode (wavelength at 980 nm and 1470 nm) lasers applied output at continuous wave mode; the energy settings ranged from 120 to 160 W for enucleation and 30 to 60 W for coagulation. DiLEP provided less perioperative hemoglobin decrease (MD = − 3.22; 95% CI (− 5.15, − 1.29); p = 0.001; I2 = 65%), less postoperative catheterization time (MD = − 17.82; 95% CI (− 32.74, − 2.90); p = 0.02; I2 = 96%), less postoperative irrigation time (MD = − 7.15; 95% CI (− 13.67, − 0.62); p = 0.03; I2 = 98%), and lower incidence of urinary irritative symptoms (OR = 0.31; 95% CI (0.14, 0.67); p = 0.003; I2 = 0%) compared with PKEP. During the 1, 3, 6, and 12-month postoperative follow-up, no statistically significant difference was found in Qmax, IPSS, QoL, and PVR between the procedures. As regards other perioperative and postoperative parameters and major complications, we found no significant difference. Both DiLEP and PKEP are safe and efficient methods for the treatment of BPH. However, DiLEP showed less perioperative hemoglobin decrease, less postoperative catheterization time, less postoperative irrigation time, and lower rates of postoperative irritative symptoms compared with the PKEP group.

Management of renal diverticular calculi is always a challenge. Accurate diagnosis depends on good pre-operative imaging techniques. There are various proposed surgical approaches to treat diverticular stones. Factors, including invasiveness, availability of specific instrument, stone clearance and complication rates, are needed to be considered before operation. In this article, we will review the method of diagnosis, surgical intervention of renal diverticular calculi. Tips and tricks of surgical techniques will also be explained.

To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of thulium laser vapoenucleation/enucleation of the prostate (ThuEP) versus holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science to identify eligible studies published before July 2018. Meta-analysis of extracted data was performed with RevMan version 5.3. We chose the fixed- or random-effect model to fit the pooled heterogeneity. Five eligible studies including two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and three non-RCTs involving 1010 patients were enrolled in our meta-analysis. ThuEP provided less enucleation time when compared with HoLEP (WMD = − 7.73, 95% CI − 14.39–1.07, P = 0.02). During the 1st, 6th, and 12th months of postoperative follow-ups, statistically significant differences were found in Qmax (WMD = 2.05, 95% CI 0.52~3.58) and PVR (WMD = − 6.50, 95% CI − 7.35~− 5.66, P

Objectives To investigate the effect of cyclic hydrostatic pressure on the expression of uroplakins and the role of extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) in the hydrostatic pressure-induced uroplakin expression of human urothelial cells (UCs). Methods Human UCs were seeded into a cell culture flask and subjected to cyclic hydrodynamic pressures for 24 h. Pressure parameters were set as follows: static, 100 cm H2O, 200 cm H2O and 300 cm H2O pressure. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot were used to detect the expression of uroplakins. The role of the ERK1/2 was investigated using ERK1/2 inhibitor. Results Compared with the 0 cm H2O control group, 200 cm H2O hydrostatic pressure significantly increased the expression of uroplakins, however, 100 cm and 300 cm pressures could not promote uroplakin expression. Hence, ERK1/2 expression was also detected under 200 cm H2O hydrostatic pressure. Western blot showed that 200 cm H2O pressure promoted the expression of ERK1/2. ERK1/2 inhibitor decreased the pressure-induced ERK1/2 activivation and uroplakin expression. Conclusions Cyclic hydrostatic pressure increases the expression of uroplakins via activating ERK1/2 signaling pathway in human UCs, and 200 cm H2O pressure may be an optimal stress parameter to promote the uroplakin expression.