Amniotic fluid stem cell therapy improves erectile function in a diabetic rat model

Current treatments for diabetic erectile dysfunction, such as phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, penile injection, or vacuum erection devices, primarily offer symptomatic relief and do not address the underlying pathophysiology, which involves neural, vascular, and smooth muscle degeneration.

This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of amniotic fluid-derived stem cells in a rat model of diabetic erectile dysfunction by assessing their impact on erectile function and penile tissue regeneration.

Male Sprague‒Dawley rats were divided into control, diabetic, and amniotic fluid-derived stem cell-treated diabetic groups. Diabetes was induced using streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). Five weeks after intracavernous injection of amniotic fluid-derived stem cells (1 × 10⁶ cells per rat), erectile function, penile nerves, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells were evaluated through intracavernous pressure measurements, histological analyses, and cellular senescence assessments using class III β-tubulin (TUBB3), rat endothelial cell antigen, and α-smooth muscle actin markers, respectively, along with β-galactosidase staining.

Amniotic fluid-derived stem cell treatment significantly improved erectile function in diabetic rats, as evidenced by increased intracavernous pressure/mean arterial pressure ratios than untreated diabetic rats (p = 0.0307). Immunofluorescence revealed restoration of neuronal and endothelial markers, while α-smooth muscle actin expression increased and β-galactosidase activity decreased, indicating enhanced smooth muscle integrity and reduced cellular senescence.

Intracavernous amniotic fluid-derived stem cell therapy effectively restores erectile function and mitigates tissue damage in diabetic rats by promoting neurovascular regeneration and reducing senescence, highlighting amniotic fluid-derived stem cells as a promising regenerative therapy for diabetic erectile dysfunction and supporting further pre-clinical and clinical investigations.