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A Decentralized (Ex Vivo) Murine Bladder Model with the Detrusor Muscle Removed for Direct Access to the Suburothelium during Bladder Filling
Published on: November 28, 2019
Connexin45 expression in the human obstructed detrusor muscle
Hubert John1, Michael Walch, Theresa Lehmann
1Department of Urology, Hirslanden Hospital, Zurich 8032, Switzerland. hubert.john@hirslanden.ch
World Journal of Urology
|January 16, 2009
Summary
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) causes bladder outlet obstruction (BOO), leading to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Altered connexin45 cell communication in the detrusor muscle may contribute to these symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Cellular Biology
- Molecular Medicine
Background:
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) are common causes of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).
- Cellular communication within the detrusor muscle is crucial for bladder function.
- Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying LUTS in BPH is essential for developing targeted therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate alterations in cellular communication, specifically focusing on connexin expression, in the detrusor muscle of patients with BPH and BOO.
- To elucidate the role of connexin45 in the pathomechanisms of LUTS associated with BPH.
Main Methods:
- Bladder biopsies were obtained from patients with BPH and BOO, as well as from non-obstructed controls.
- Quantitative RT-PCR was used to analyze the expression of connexins (connexin43 and connexin45) in detrusor tissue.
- Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine the localization of connexin45 and lysosome membrane associated protein 1.
Main Results:
- The human detrusor muscle primarily expresses connexin45, not connexin43.
- Connexin45 expression levels were not significantly different between obstructed and control groups.
- Focal alterations in connexin45 protein distribution were observed in the detrusor of obstructed patients.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first evidence of regionally impaired connexin45-mediated cell coupling in the detrusor muscle of patients with BOO due to BPH.
- Altered connexin45 coupling may be a contributing factor to the development of LUTS in this patient population.
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