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Gene and stem cell therapy for erectile dysfunction

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 17, pages S57–S63 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the inability to attain and/or maintain penile erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. ED is a highly prevalent health problem with considerable impact on the quality of life of men and their partners. Although the treatment of ED with oral phosphodiesterase type V (PDE5) inhibitors is effective in a wide range of individuals, it is not efficacious in all patients. The failure of PDE5 inhibitors happens mainly in men with diabetes, non-nerve sparing radical prostatectomy, and high disease severity. Therefore, improved therapies based on a better understanding of the fundamental issues in erectile physiology and pathophysiology have recently been proposed. Here, we summarize studies on ED treatment using gene and stem cell therapies. Adenoviral-mediated intracavernosal transfer of therapeutic genes, such as endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and RhoA/Rho kinase and mesenchymal stem cell-based cell and gene therapy strategy for the treatment of age- and diabetes-related ED are the focus of this review.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

    W Deng & P J Kadowitz

  2. Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    T J Bivalacqua

  3. Department of Urology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

    W J G Hellstrom

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  1. W Deng
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  2. T J Bivalacqua
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  3. W J G Hellstrom
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  4. P J Kadowitz
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Correspondence to P J Kadowitz.

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Deng, W., Bivalacqua, T., Hellstrom, W. et al. Gene and stem cell therapy for erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res 17 (Suppl 1), S57–S63 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3901430

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