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Misoprostol induces relaxation of human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle: comparison to prostaglandin E1

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 12, pages 107–110 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) relaxes trabecular smooth muscle by interacting with specific G-protein coupled receptors on human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle and increasing intracellular synthesis of cAMP. Misoprostol (Cytotec™), is an oral prostaglandin E analogue. The purpose of this study was to compare the functional activity of misoprostol with PGE1 in human corpus cavernosum and cultured human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells. Misoprostol, misoprostol free acid or PGE1 induced dose-dependent relaxations in strips of human corpus cavernosum. At concentrations greater than 10−6 M, tissue recontraction was observed with all three agents. This was abrogated by pretreatment with the thromboxane A2 receptor antagonist SQ29,548. From these observations, we conclude that misoprostol is activated by human corpus cavernosum in situ and relaxes phenylephrine-precontrated tissue strips in vitro. This relaxation response is mediated by the increased cAMP synthesis by these agents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, 02118, MA, USA

    RB Moreland, NN Kim & A Traish

  2. Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, 55905, MN, USA

    A Nehra

  3. Department of Urology, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester, 01604, MA, USA

    BG Parulkar

  4. Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, 02118, MA, USA

    A Traish

Authors
  1. RB Moreland
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  2. NN Kim
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  3. A Nehra
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  4. BG Parulkar
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  5. A Traish
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Correspondence to A Traish.

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Moreland, R., Kim, N., Nehra, A. et al. Misoprostol induces relaxation of human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle: comparison to prostaglandin E1. Int J Impot Res 12, 107–110 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3900497

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3900497

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