红景Ⅰ号方对双侧海绵体神经损伤SD大鼠阴茎组织中缝隙连接蛋白43表达的影响

目的:探索红景Ⅰ号方对双侧海绵体神经损伤大鼠勃起功能及其阴茎组织中缝隙连接蛋白43的干预作用。方法:将50只SD大鼠随机均分为5组,分别为假手术组、双侧海绵体神经损伤组、红景Ⅰ号方低、中、高剂量组。利用止血钳钳夹大鼠双侧海绵体神经以造成损伤,红景Ⅰ号方组给予不同剂量(2.835、5.67、11.34 g/kg)灌胃。28 d后通过海绵体内压检测评估各组大鼠勃起功能。免疫荧光和免疫印迹技术检测大鼠阴茎组织中缝隙连接蛋白43含量。结果:与假手术组相比,双侧海绵体神经损伤组大鼠海绵体内压曲线明显下降,海绵体内压峰值与平均动脉压比值及总海绵体内压(即曲线下面积)与平均动脉压比值均显著下降(0.40±0.04 vs 0.83±0.10,P<0.01;21.89±2.16 vs 50.27±4.45,P<0.01),且阴茎组织中缝隙连接蛋白43表达量显著下调(P<0.01)。中、高剂量红景Ⅰ号方均可上调双侧海绵体神经损伤大鼠海绵体内压曲线,提高海绵体内压峰值与平均动脉压比值(0.54±0.05, 0.61±0.06 vs 0.40±0.04,P<0.05,P<0.01)及总海绵体内压(即曲线下面积)与平均动脉压比值(31.20±3.85, 37.82±4.17 vs 21.89±2.16,P均<0.01);中、高剂量红景Ⅰ号方升高了双侧海绵体神经损伤组大鼠阴茎组织中缝隙连接蛋白43表达量(P<0.05,P<0.01)。结论:红景Ⅰ号方可有效改善双侧海绵体神经损伤大鼠勃起功能障碍,这可能与其维持海绵体中缝隙连接蛋白43含量而保护缝隙连接功能有关。

Hongjing-1 Recipe maintains the expression level of Connexin43 in the penile tissue of SD rats with bilateral cavernous nerve injury

Objective: To explore the effects of Hongjing-1 Recipe(HJ-1) on erectile function and the expression of the gap junction protein Connexin43(Cx43) in the penile tissue in male rats with bilateral cavernous nerve injury(BCNI). Methods: Fifty male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups of an equal number: sham operation, BCNI model control, and low-, medium-and high-dose HJ-1. The BCNI model was made in the latter four groups by clamping the bilateral cavernous nerves with hemostatic forceps. Three days after modeling, the rats in the sham operation and BCNI model control groups were treated intragastrically with pure water and those in the low-, medium-and high-dose HJ-1 groups with HJ-1 at 2.835, 5.67 and 11.34 g/kg/d, respectively, all for 28 successive days. Then, the animals were subjected to intracavernous pressure(ICP) measurement for evaluation of their erectile function and immunofluorescence staining and Western blot for determination of the Cx43 level in the penile tissue. Results: The BCNI model controls, compared with the rats in the sham operation group, showed a dramatically decreased ratio of maximum ICP to mean arterial pressure(mICP/MAP)(0.40 ± 0.04 vs 0.83 ± 0.10, P < 0.01) and that of total ICP to MAP(tICP/MAP)(21.89 ± 2.16 vs 50.27 ± 4.45, P < 0.01), as well as a down-regulated expression of Cx43 in the penile tissue(P < 0.01). In comparison with the rats in the BCNI model control group, those in the medium-and high-dose HJ-1 groups exhibited significantly increased ratios of mICP/MAP(0.54 ± 0.05, P < 0.05;0.61 ± 0.06, P < 0.01) and tICP/MAP(31.20 ± 3.85, P < 0.01;37.82 ± 4.17, P < 0.01) and up-regulated expression of Cx43(P<0.05 and P<0.01). Conclusion: Hongjing-1 Recipe can effectively improve ED in rats with bilateral cavernous nerve injury, which may be attributed to its effect of maintaining the expression level of the gap junction protein Cx43 in the penile tissue.