高血压大鼠海绵体平滑肌细胞间连接的变化

Changes of Gap Junction in Penile Cavernous Smooth Muscle Cells of Hypertensive Rats

目的:比较自发性高血压大鼠(SHR)和正常血压大鼠阴茎海绵体平滑肌细胞间连接改变及与阴茎勃起功能的关系。方法:注射阿朴吗啡(APO)观察14周龄SHR(SHR组,n=5)、W istar-Kyoto大鼠(WKY组,n=5)阴茎勃起情况,用透射电镜观察其阴茎海绵体平滑肌细胞间连接超微结构,RT-PCR测定海绵体平滑肌细胞Connexin 43的mRNA表达,免疫组化观察Connexin 43蛋白表达。结果:SHR组大鼠阴茎勃起次数明显低于WKY组(P<0.05),电镜发现SHR组大鼠阴茎海绵体平滑肌细胞间大量胶原纤维增生,Connexin 43蛋白及其mRNA表达较WKY组显著降低(P<0.05)。结论:高血压影响阴茎勃起功能,阴茎海绵体平滑肌细胞间连接的病理改变可能是高血压性勃起功能障碍的发病机制之一。

Objective： To compare the changes of the intercellular conjunction in penile cavernous tissues between spontaneously hypertensive rats （SHR） and normatensive ones, and to study the relation of blood pressure with erectile function. Methods ： After apomorphine（APO） injection, we observed penile erections in SHR （ SHR group, n = 5） and Wistar-Kyoto rats （ WKY group, n = 5 ） , studied the uhrastrncture of the cell-to-cell conjunction between the penile cavernous smooth muscle cells with a transmission electrical microscope, and examined the expression of mRNA and Connexin 43 protein by RT^PCR and immunohistochemistry. Results ： The erectile frequency in the SHR group was significantly lower than in the WKY group. The smooth muscle cells were decreased and the collagen fibers between the smooth muscle cells were increased in the SHR group. The expression of mRNA and Connexin 43 protein in the cavernous tissues was significantly lower in the SHR group than in the WKY group （ P 〈 0.05 ）. Conclusion ： Hypertension affects penile erection, and the pathological changes of the cell-to-cell conjunction between the penile cavernous smooth muscle cells may be one of the important mechanisms of erectile dysfunction associated with hypertension.