Publication
Title
Effects of nitric oxide on the primary bladder afferent activities of the rat with and without intravesical acrolein treatment
Author
Abstract
Background It has been suggested that nitric oxide (NO) affects the afferent pathways innervating the bladder. In addition, acrolein, a metabolite of cyclophosphamide, causes bladder hypersensitivity in rats. Objective We investigated the direct effects of an NO substrate (L-arginine) and an NO synthase inhibitor (Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride [L-NAME]) on single fiber activities of the primary bladder afferent nerves with or without acrolein application. Design, setting, and participants Female Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Under urethane anesthesia, a single nerve fiber primarily originating from the bladder was identified by electrical stimulation of the left pelvic nerve and by bladder distention, and it was divided by conduction velocity as Aδ fiber or C fiber. Measurements The afferent activity measurements with constant bladder filling were repeated three times, and the third measurement served as the baseline observation. After that, two experiments were performed. First, L-NAME (10 mg/ml) was instilled intravesically. Then L-arginine (300 mg/kg) was administrated intravenously to investigate the competition with L-NAME. Second, L-arginine was administrated intravenously. Then 0.003% of acrolein or saline was instilled intravesically to obtain another three cycles of instillations. Results and limitations Forty-two single afferent fibers (Aδ fibers: n = 19; C fibers: n = 23) were isolated in 31 rats. When the bladder was filled with L-NAME solution, afferent activities of both Aδ and C fibers increased significantly, and L-arginine administration inhibited these stimulated responses. In addition, intravenous administration of L-arginine significantly decreased the activities of both fibers during saline instillation. Intravesical acrolein instillation significantly increased the activities of both fibers, which were inhibited by pretreatment with L-arginine. Conclusions The results suggest that NO synthase exists in the rat urinary bladder and clearly demonstrate that L-arginine, an NO substrate, can inhibit both Aδ and C mechanosensitive afferent fibers of the bladder in the rat. In addition, L-arginine can inhibit the activated responses of both fibers to intravesical acrolein.
Language
English
Source (journal)
European urology / European Association of Urology. - Basel
Publication
Basel : 2011
ISSN
0302-2838
DOI
10.1016/J.EURURO.2010.10.035
Volume/pages
59 :2 (2011) , p. 264-271
ISI
000285694900018
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 06.05.2011
Last edited 04.03.2024
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