Int Neurourol J.  2010 Apr;14(1):48-53.

Distribution of Interstitial Cells of Cajal in Menopausal Rat Urinary Bladder Showing Detrusor Overactivity

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Urology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea. seinsena@hanmail.net
  • 2Department of Anatomy, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
Recent studies have showed that interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are widely distributed in the genitourinary tract and have suggested their involvement in spontaneous electrical activity and muscle contraction. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effect of estrogen on ICCs in rat urinary bladder from the detrusor overactivity induced by ovariectomy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Female Sprague-Dawley rats (230-240 g, N=60) were divided into three groups: control (N=20), bilateral ovariectomy (Ovx, N=20), and bilateral ovariectomy followed by subcutaneous injections of 17 beta-estradiol (50 mg/kg/day, Ovx + Est, N=20). After 4 weeks, urodynamic studies measuring contraction interval and contraction pressure were done. The cellular localization of ICCs was determined by immunohistochemistry in the rat urinary bladder.
RESULTS
Filling cystometry studies demonstrated a reduced interval between voiding contractions and an increased voiding pressure in Ovx group. The approximate the contraction interval (min) was (3.9+/-0.25) significantly decreased in the Ovx group compared to the control group (6.7+/-0.15), which was increased after estrogen treatment (9.7+/-0.22) (p<0.05). Conversely, the average contraction pressures (mmHg) were increased in the Ovx group (28.9+/-2.1) compared to the control group (21.2+/-1.45), and decreased after estrogen treatment (24.8+/-2.21) (p<0.05). The population of c-Kit immunoreactive ICCs was decreased in both the urothelial and muscle layers in Ovx bladders, which increased to the control value after estrogen treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrated an decreased immunoreactivity of ICCs in the menopausal rat model and suggest that thedecreased population of ICCs expression may contribute to the modulation of bladder overactivity induced by menopause.

Keyword

Interstitial cell; Urinary bladder; Menopause

MeSH Terms

Animals
Contracts
Estradiol
Estrogens
Female
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Injections, Subcutaneous
Interstitial Cells of Cajal
Menopause
Muscle Contraction
Muscles
Ovariectomy
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Urinary Bladder
Urodynamics
Estradiol
Estrogens
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