MicroRNA-145 engineered bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells alleviated erectile dysfunction in aged rats

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Stem Cell Therapy
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Aging is a primary contributor to erectile dysfunction (ED), necessitating effective therapeutic strategies.
• Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are being investigated for their regenerative potential in various conditions.
• MicroRNA-145 (miR-145) plays a role in cellular differentiation and tissue remodeling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of BMSCs engineered to overexpress miR-145 in a rat model of age-associated erectile dysfunction.
• To investigate the impact of miR-145-overexpressing BMSCs on penile tissue composition and molecular markers related to erectile function.

Main Methods:

• Sixty aged male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: PBS control, BMSCs, vector-BMSCs, and OE-miR-145-BMSCs.
• BMSCs were transfected with a lentivirus overexpressing miR-145.
• Erectile function was assessed by measuring intracavernous pressure (ICP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) 14 days post-transplantation. Penile tissues underwent histological, molecular, and biochemical analyses.

Main Results:

• OE-miR-145-BMSCs significantly improved the ICP/MAP ratio compared to control and other treatment groups (P < 0.05).
• Treatment with OE-miR-145-BMSCs increased smooth muscle content in penile tissues and upregulated key smooth muscle markers (α-SMA, desmin, SM-MHC).
• OE-miR-145-BMSCs reduced levels of collagen 1, MMP2, and p-Smad2, indicating reduced fibrosis and inflammation.

Conclusions:

• MicroRNA-145 engineered BMSCs effectively attenuate age-related erectile dysfunction in a rat model.
• Transplantation of miR-145-overexpressing BMSCs represents a promising novel therapeutic approach for age-associated ED.