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Enzyme activities of the nitric oxide–cGMP pathway in corpus cavernosum isolated from middle-aged rats
- Source :
- European Journal of Pharmacology. 473:65-70
- Publication Year :
- 2003
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2003.
-
Abstract
- Cyclic guanosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP)-mediated mechanisms play an important role in vasodilation and blood pressure regulation. We investigated basal activity of the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP signal transduction pathway in corpus cavernosum from both middle-aged and young rats, and the electrical field stimulation-induced relaxation in the organ was also evaluated. In middle-aged rats, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and cGMP-phosphodiesterase activities were significantly decreased; however, guanylate cyclase activity was similar. cGMP concentration, a secondary messenger of NO, remained almost the same level as compared with young rats. These results suggest that decrease in cGMP-phosphodiesterase activity is likely to account for the maintenance of cGMP concentration. In isolated corpus cavernosum from middle-aged rats, electrical field stimulation-induced relaxation was partially impaired. These results suggest that downregulation of the NOS and cGMP-phosphodiesterase activities are early events in the pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction.
- Subjects :
- Male
medicine.medical_specialty
GUCY1B3
Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
Vasodilation
In Vitro Techniques
Nitric Oxide
Nitric oxide
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemistry.chemical_compound
Adrenergic Agents
Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase
Isometric Contraction
Internal medicine
medicine
Animals
Enzyme Inhibitors
Cyclic GMP
Pharmacology
biology
Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases
Guanylate cyclase activity
Age Factors
Phosphodiesterase
Muscle, Smooth
Electric Stimulation
PDE5 drug design
Rats
Nitric oxide synthase
Endocrinology
chemistry
Guanylate Cyclase
Second messenger system
biology.protein
Nitric Oxide Synthase
Penis
Signal Transduction
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 00142999
- Volume :
- 473
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- European Journal of Pharmacology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....a188ab00a992e5ca65e9359d2fa8cd87