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Published on: August 2, 2024
Low energy shock wave therapy attenuates mitochondrial dysfunction and improves bladder function in HCl induced
Hung-Jen Wang1, Pradeep Tyagi2, Tsu-Kung Lin3
1Department of Urology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Center for Shockwave Medicine and Tissue Engineering, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Low energy shock wave (LESW) therapy effectively treats chemical cystitis in rats by reducing bladder overactivity and inflammation. LESW normalizes mitochondrial function and apoptosis, offering a potential treatment for bladder pain syndrome.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Cell Biology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in urothelial barrier defects and bladder dysfunction in Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome (IC/BPS).
- Chemical cystitis models are crucial for studying bladder dysfunction and potential therapeutic interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the therapeutic effects of low energy shock wave (LESW) on bladder and mitochondrial function in a rat model of HCl-induced cystitis.
- To determine the influence of dynamic bladder filling volume on LESW treatment efficacy.
Main Methods:
- HCl-induced cystitis model in Sprague-Dawley rats.
- Intravesical HCl or saline instillation followed by LESW treatment with varying bladder volumes.
- Continuous cystometry (CMG), histology, and Western blotting were performed.
Main Results:
- HCl instillation induced bladder overactivity, inflammation, increased apoptosis (elevated bax/bcl2 ratio, TUNEL staining), and mitochondrial damage markers.
- LESW treatment significantly suppressed bladder overactivity and reduced inflammation, mast cell infiltration, apoptosis, and mitochondrial damage.
- The beneficial effects of LESW were observed irrespective of the bladder filling volume during treatment.
Conclusions:
- LESW exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in chemical cystitis.
- These effects are linked to the reversal of molecular and cellular changes in the mitochondrial-dependent intrinsic apoptotic pathway.
- LESW represents a promising therapeutic strategy for conditions like IC/BPS characterized by bladder inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction.
