[Collagen metabolism in induratio penis plastica (IPP)]

The exact pathogenesis of Peyronie's Disease (PD) is still unknown. Histopathological investigations suggest, that the metabolism of the collogenious tissue plays an important role. Therefore, we started a prospective study in order to evaluate the metabolic situation of 11 patients with PD and 11 healthy controls. We measured biochemical parameters of penile and venous blood, which correspond to the collagen metabolism (procollagen III [P III P], PMN-elastase [PMN-E], fibronectin [FN], fibronectinreceptor [FN-R] und alpha-1-proteinase-inhibitor [alpha-1-PI]). There was no difference in PMN-E, P III P, FN and FN-R in all samples. There was no difference in penile and venous blood as well. But we found out a highly significant lower concentration of alpha-1-PI in patients with PD (158,55 mg/dl) than in controls (214,82 mg/ dl). A deficiency of alpha-1-PI can lead to a higher activity of serum proteases, such as PMN-E. This can result in a change in collagen metabolism by an increased synthesis of collagen type III, that is found in PD. This general pathophysiologic factor may be competed by an additional local alteration of the tissue.