Pioglitazone Enhances Survival and Regeneration of Pelvic Ganglion Neurons after Cavernosal Nerve Injury

Objective To investigate the effects of pioglitazone on pelvic ganglion neurons in a rat model of bilateral cavernosal nerve crush injury (BCNI), thereby elucidating the actions of pioglitazone in preventing post-prostatectomy neurogenic erectile dysfunction.

Methods Sprague-Dawley rats aged 12 weeks were divided into four groups: (a) sham procedure, (b) BCNI, (c) BCNI + post-surgical pioglitazone, (d) BCNI + pre and post-surgical pioglitazone (preventive therapy). Pre-operative injection of Fluorogold (FG) fluorescent tracer into the cavernosal tissue was performed for retrograde labeling of pelvic ganglion cells. Pelvic ganglia were resected at two weeks in all rats and processed for real time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot to examine the expression of FG, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), β-III tubulin, neurturin (NTN), and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family receptor alpha-2 (GFRα2). Results Animals treated with pre and post-surgical pioglitazone demonstrated increased staining for FG similar to sham levels. Gene expression of nNOS, NTN, GFRα2, and β-III tubulin was also up-regulated in the group receiving preventive therapy. Conclusions Pioglitazone provides a protective effect on pelvic ganglion neurons after BCNI.

Urology. 2016 Jan 06 [Epub ahead of print]

Eric G Katz, Ahmed A Moustafa, Daniel Heidenberg, Nora Haney, Taylor Peak, George F Lasker, Margaret Knoedler, Daniel Rittenberg, Bashir M Rezk, Zakaria Y Abd Elmageed, Faysal A Yafi, Suresh Sikka, Asim B Abdel Mageed, Wayne J G Hellstrom

Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. , Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. , Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. , Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. , Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. , Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. , Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. , Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. , Department of Biology, Southern University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA, USA. , Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. , Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. , Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. , Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. , Department of Urology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.  

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