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Assar ME, Angulo J, García-Rojo E, Sevilleja-Ortiz A, García-Gómez B, Fernández A, Sánchez-Ferrer A, La Fuente JM, Romero-Otero J, Rodríguez-Mañas L. Early manifestation of aging-related vascular dysfunction in human penile vasculature-A potential explanation for the role of erectile dysfunction as a harbinger of systemic vascular disease. GeroScience 2022; 44:485-501. [PMID: 34962617 PMCID: PMC8811115 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-021-00507-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Advanced age is related to functional alterations of human vasculature, but erectile dysfunction precedes systemic manifestations of vascular disease. The current study aimed to simultaneously evaluate the influence of aging on vascular function (relaxation and contraction responses) in systemic human vascular territories: aorta (HA) and resistance mesenteric arteries (HMA) and human corpus cavernosum (HCC) and penile resistance arteries (HPRA). Associations of oxidative stress and inflammation circulating biomarkers with age and functional responses were also determined. Vascular specimens were obtained from 76 organ donors (age range 18-87). Four age-groups were established: < 40, 40-55, 56-65 and > 65 years old. Increasing age was associated with a decline in endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by BK in HMA (r = -0.597, p = 0.0001), or by ACh in HCC (r = -0.505, p = 0.0022), and HPRA (r = -0.601, p = 0.0012). Significant impairment was detected at > 65 years old in HMA but earlier in penile vasculature (> 55 years old). Age-related reduction to H2O2-vasodilatory response started before in HCC (56-65 years old) than in HA (> 65 years old). In contrast to relaxation responses, aging-related hypercontractility to adrenergic stimulation was homogeneous: contractions significantly increased in subjects > 55 years old in all tested vessels. Although not significantly age related, circulating levels of ADMA (r = -0.681, p = 0.0052) and TNF-α (r = -0.537, p = 0.0385) were negatively correlated with endothelial vasodilation in HMA but not in HCC or HPRA. Penile vasculature exhibits an early impairment of endothelium-dependent and H2O2-induced vasodilations when compared to mesenteric microcirculation and aorta. Therefore, functional susceptibility of penile vasculature to the aging process may account for anticipation of erectile dysfunction to systemic manifestations of vascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam El Assar
- Fundación de Investigación Biomédica, del Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Getafe, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad Y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Angulo
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad Y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Servicio de Histología-Investigación, Unidad de Investigación Traslacional en Cardiología (IRYCIS-UFV), Hospital Universitario Ramón Y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther García-Rojo
- Department of Urology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Sevilleja-Ortiz
- Servicio de Histología-Investigación, Unidad de Investigación Traslacional en Cardiología (IRYCIS-UFV), Hospital Universitario Ramón Y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Borja García-Gómez
- Department of Urology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Argentina Fernández
- Servicio de Histología-Investigación, Unidad de Investigación Traslacional en Cardiología (IRYCIS-UFV), Hospital Universitario Ramón Y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Sánchez-Ferrer
- Fundación de Investigación Biomédica, del Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Getafe, Spain
| | - José M La Fuente
- Serviço de Urologia, Hospital Geral Santo Antonio, Porto, Portugal
| | - Javier Romero-Otero
- Department of Urology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital, 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Leocadio Rodríguez-Mañas
- Fundación de Investigación Biomédica, del Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Getafe, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad Y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
- Division of Geriatric Medicine, Servicio de Geriatría, Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Ctra de Toledo km 12, 500, 8905, Getafe, Spain.
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Chang S, Hypolite JA, Velez M, Changolkar A, Wein AJ, Chacko S, DiSanto ME. Downregulation of cGMP-dependent protein kinase-1 activity in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle of diabetic rabbits. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2004; 287:R950-60. [PMID: 15205187 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00639.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Increased guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP), induced by nitric oxide release, is crucial for corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (CCSM) relaxation within the penis. This CCSM relaxation (necessary for penile erection) is impaired in men with erectile dysfunction (ED), especially those men with diabetes. One of the effector proteins for cGMP is cGMP-dependent protein kinase-1 (PKG-1). PKG-1 knockout mice exhibit detrusor overactivity (Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 279: R1112-R1120, 2000) and, more relevant to this study, ED (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 97: 2349-2354, 2000), suggesting an in vivo role for PKG-1 in urogenital smooth muscle relaxation. In the current study, using normal rabbit CCSM, Western blot analysis revealed high expression of PKG-1 at levels almost equivalent to aorta (previously shown to have high PKG-1 expression) and that the two known alternatively spliced isoforms of PKG-1 (alpha and beta) are expressed in nearly equal amounts in the CCSM. However, in response to alloxan-induced diabetes, there was a decrease in expression of both PKG-1 isoforms at the mRNA and protein levels as determined by real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively, but with the PKG-1alpha isoform expression decreased to a greater extent. Moreover, diabetes was associated with significantly decreased PKG-1 activity of CCSM in vitro, correlating with decreased CCSM relaxation. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed a diabetes-associated decrease in PKG-1 in the CCSM cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrate for the first time a significant downregulation of PKG-1 expression associated with decreased PKG-1 activity in the CCSM in response to diabetes. Furthermore, these results suggest a mechanistic basis for the decreased efficacy of phosphodiesterase V inhibitors in treating diabetic patients with ED.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaohua Chang
- Room 744, Forchheimer Bldg., Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY 10411, USA
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