Exogenous hydrogen sulfide improves erectile dysfunction by inhibiting apoptosis of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells in rats with cavernous nerve injury

Abstract

To explore the effects of exogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on apoptosis of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs) and erectile dysfunction (ED) in rats with bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI). Twentyfour male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=8):sham operation group, bilateral cavernous nerve injury group (BCNI group) and H2S intervention group (BCNI+NaHS group). In BCNI and BCNI+NaHS groups, BCNI was induced by clamp injury of the bilateral cavernous nerves, and the rats were subjected to daily intraperitoneal injection of normal saline and 100 μmol/kg NaHS solution for 4 weeks, respectively. After the treatment, the intracavernous pressure (ICP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP), ) of the rats were measured. Western blotting was used to detect the expressions of cystathionine β synthetase (CBS), cystathionine γ lyase (CSE), α-SMA, collagen-I, caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2 in the penile cavernous tissue, and the expressions of CBS and CSE were also detected immunohistochemically. The ratio of cavernous smooth muscle to collagen was detected using Masson's Trichrome staining. The apoptosis level of CCSMC was detected by TUNEL + α-SMA immunofluorescence double staining. After 4 weeks of treatment, the rats in BCNI+NaHS group showed a significantly higher ICP/MAP ratio than those in BCNI group (P < 0.05). The results of Masson's Trichrome staining showed that the ratio of cavernous smooth muscle/collagen was significantly higher in BCNI + NaHS group than in BCNI group (P < 0.05). Western blotting showed a significantly higher expression of α-SMA protein but a lower expression of collagen-I protein in BCNI + NaHS group than in BCNI group (P < 0.05). TUNEL+α-SMA immunofluorescence double staining revealed a significantly lower number of apoptotic CCSMCs in BCNI+NaHS group than in BCNI group (P < 0.05). Compared with those in BCNI group, the rats in BCNI+NaHS group had significantly decreased expressions of caspase-3 and Bax proteins (P < 0.05) with significantly enhanced Bcl-2 protein expression and an increased Bcl-2/Bax ratio (P < 0.05). The expressions of CBS and CSE were significantly lower in BCNI group than in the other two groups (P < 0.05). Exogenous H2S enhance the expression of the classic apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and reduces apoptosis of CCSMC to improve the erectile function in rats with BCNI.