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Restorative effect of resveratrol on expression of endothelial and neuronal nitric oxide synthase in cavernous tissues of chronic unpredictable mild stress-exposed rats: an impact of inflammation

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 30, pages 318–326 (2018)Cite this article

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Abstract

We investigated the effect of resveratrol on endothelial and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (eNOS and nNOS) expression in the corpus cavernosum from chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-exposed rats in order to examine possible role of proinflammatory cytokines, which might play a role on erectile dysfunction (ED). Rats were randomly and equally divided into four groups such as control, control+resveratrol, CUMS and CUMS + resveratrol (20 mg/kg/day, i.p/8 weeks). Sucrose intake and forced swimming tests were used to evaluate depressive-like behaviors. nNOS, eNOS expressions, inflammatory markers, corticosterone and testosterone levels were analyzed either in blood samples and/or penile tissues. CUMS-exposed rats displayed depressive-like behaviors, reduced penile nNOS and eNOS expressions, and serum testosterone levels and enhanced serum and penile tissue levels of proinflammatory markers compared to controls. Resveratrol reversed depressive-like behaviors and suppressed serum and penile levels of proinflammatory markers, increased nNOS and eNOS expressions and testosterone levels in CUMS-exposed rats. Resveratrol exerted antidepressant-like effects and protected the development of CUMS-induced impairment of cavernosal eNOS and nNOS expressions associated with ED, which might be related to its anti-inflammatory action.

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Acknowledgements

This study was presented at 29th Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) September 17–20 2016, Vienna, Austria.

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  1. Kocaeli University, Medical Faculty Department of Histology and Embryology and Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Research and Application Center, Umuttepe Campus-İzmit/Kocaeli, İzmit, 41380, Turkey

    Yusufhan Yazir, Tuğçe Demirtaş Şahin, Selenay Furat Rençber, Gulcin Gacar, Zehra Seda Halbutoğulları, Tijen Utkan & Feyza Aricioglu

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Yazir, Y., Demirtaş Şahin, T., Furat Rençber, S. et al. Restorative effect of resveratrol on expression of endothelial and neuronal nitric oxide synthase in cavernous tissues of chronic unpredictable mild stress-exposed rats: an impact of inflammation. Int J Impot Res 30, 318–326 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-018-0048-0

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