Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Toblli, Jorge E
• Cao, Gabriel
• Casabé, Adolfo R
• Bechara, Amado J

Titel

Effects of ACE inhibition and beta-blockade on female genital structures in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Ist Teil von

• Journal of sexual medicine, 2007-11, Vol.4 (6), p.1593-1603

Ort / Verlag

Netherlands

Erscheinungsjahr

2007

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• This study evaluated the possible differences between an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor and a beta-blocker concerning their potential protective role on female external genitalia in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Morphological changes in the clitoris after antihypertensive treatments. For 6 months, SHR received no treatment; SHR + ramipril (RAM), SHR + atenolol (AT), and control Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats received no treatment. Clitorises were processed for immunohistochemistry using anti-alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), anti-collagen I and III, anti-transforming growth factor beta(1) (TGFbeta(1)), and anti-endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) antibodies. SHR + RAM and SHR + AT presented significantly lower blood pressure in both groups vs. untreated SHR. Compared with WKY, alpha-SMA was increased in the arteries and in the cavernous spaces of the clitoris together with a marked increase in wall/lumen ratio in clitoral vessels in untreated SHR. All these alterations were diminished in SHR + AT (P < 0.01). SHR + RAM presented differences with respect to SHR + AT in the reduction of these variables. TGFbeta(1) expression in the vessel wall from the clitoris and collagen I and III deposition in the interstitium from the clitoris in untreated SHR were significantly more (P < 0.01) than in WKY. While SHR + AT showed a mild decrease in these variables, SHR + RAM presented a significant reduction (P < 0.01) in TGFbeta(1) expression interstitial fibrosis and in both types of collagens. Positive immunostaining of eNOS in the sinusoidal endothelium from the clitoris was less (P < 0.01) in untreated SHR (3.4 +/- 1.3%) and SHR + AT (5.1 +/- 1.2%) than in SHR + RAM (17.2 +/- 1.6%) and WKY (15.9 +/- 1.7%). Untreated SHR and SHR + AT presented more surrounding connective tissue at the perineurium in the clitoris (P < 0.01) than SHR + RAM. ACE inhibition provided a considerable protective role on the female external genitalia structures in SHR by a mechanism that may be, at least in part, independent of the degree of blood pressure lowering.