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Updated: Mar 22, 2026

Nerve-sparing Mid-urethral Obstruction NeMO in Female Small Rodents
Published on: April 25, 2017
Effect of Selective Prostaglandin E2 EP2 Receptor Agonist CP-533,536 on Voiding Efficiency in Rats with
Ryoko Kurihara1, Katsunori Imazumi1, Hajime Takamatsu1
1Pharmacology Research Laboratories, Drug Discovery Research, Astellas Pharma Inc., Tsukuba, Japan.
Objectives:
We investigated the effect of the selective prostaglandin E2 EP2 receptor agonist CP-533,536 on voiding efficiency in rats with midodrine-induced functional urethral obstruction.
Methods:
The effect of CP-533,536 (0.03-0.3 mg/kg, intravenous [i.v.]) on urethral perfusion pressure (UPP) was investigated in anesthetized rats pre-treated with midodrine (1 mg/kg, i.v.), which forms an active metabolite that acts as an α1 -adrenoceptor agonist. The effect of CP-533,536 (0.03-0.3 mg/kg, i.v.) on cystometric parameters was also investigated in anesthetized rats. In addition, the effect of CP-533,536 (0.03-0.3 mg/kg, i.v.) on residual urine volume (RV) and voiding efficiency (VE) was investigated in conscious rats treated with midodrine (1 mg/kg, i.v.).
Results:
CP-533,536 dose-dependently decreased UPP elevated by midodrine in anesthetized rats. In contrast, CP-533,536 did not affect maximum voiding pressure, intercontraction interval, or intravesical threshold pressure. In conscious rats, midodrine (1 mg/kg, i.v.) markedly increased RV and reduced VE. CP-533,536 dose-dependently ameliorated increases in RV and decreases in VE induced by midodrine.
Conclusions:
These results suggest that a selective EP2 receptor agonist could ameliorate the elevation of RV and improve the reduction of VE in rats with functional urethral obstruction caused by stimulation of α1 -adrenoceptors. The mechanism of action might be not potentiation of bladder contraction but rather preferential relief of urethral constriction.
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