Abstract
BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of estrogen alteration on the expression of caveolin 2 and 3 in rat smooth muscle of urinary bladder.MethodsFemale Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control, bilateral ovariectomy (Ovx), and bilateral ovariectomy followed by subcutaneous injections of 17β-estradiol (Ovx?+?Est). After 4 weeks, urodynamic measurements were taken to ascertain the contraction interval and contraction pressure. The expression and cellular localization of caveolin 2 and 3 were determined by Western blot and immunohistochemistry in rat urinary bladder smooth muscle.ResultsIn cystometrograms, the contraction interval (min) was significantly lower in the Ovx group (3.1?±?1.5) than in the control group (5.6?±?1.2), but was increased after estrogen treatment (9.3?±?1.0). Conversely, the average contraction pressure (mmHg) was higher in the Ovx group (26.2?±?2.3) than in the control group (21.9?±?3.1), and was decreased after estrogen treatment (23.8?±?3.5). Caveolin 2 and 3 expression was localized in the cell membrane of the smooth muscle. The protein expression of both caveolin 2 and 3 was significantly lower after ovariectomy and was restored to the control levels after 17β-estradiol treatment.ConclusionsHormonal alteration causes a significant change in the expression of caveolin 2 and 3 in smooth muscle of rat urinary bladder. These findings suggest that these molecules might have functional roles in the detrusor overactivity that occurs in association with hormonal alteration.
Highlights
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of estrogen alteration on the expression of caveolin 2 and 3 in rat smooth muscle of urinary bladder
We investigated the effect of hormonal alterations on the expression of caveolin 1 in the urinary bladders of ovariectomized rats and reported that hormonal alterations cause a significant change in the expression of caveolin 1, which suggests that caveolin 1 might have a functional role in the overactivity of the detrusor muscle related to hormonal alterations in the urinary bladders [6]
These results suggest that hormonal alteration may change the expression of caveolins in rat urinary bladder and that caveolins may play a role in the bladder dysfunction induced by ovariectomy and hormonal change
Summary
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of estrogen alteration on the expression of caveolin 2 and 3 in rat smooth muscle of urinary bladder. Caveolin 2 is expressed in many cell types, whereas caveolin 3 is the specific isoform that is present in skeletal and smooth muscle cells [3]. Estrogen is essential for the physiologic function of the female lower urinary tract, which is believed to play an important role in bladder function [8,9]. No studies to date have investigated the changes in expression of caveolin 2 and caveolin 3 in the bladder smooth muscle of ovariectomized rats or the functional activity of these proteins in response to hormonal alteration
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