Objectives: We sought to evaluate the regulatory influence of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) on the basal functional states of the NO and RhoA/Rho-kinase signaling pathways in the penis employing endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) mutant mice and eNOS gene transfer technology.Methods: Four groups of mice were utilized: 1) wild type (WT), 2) eNOS gene deleted (eNOS −/−), 3) eNOS and neuronal NOS gene deleted (dNOS −/−), and 4) eNOS −/− mutant mice transfected intracavernosally with eNOS. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) concentration, protein kinase G (PKG) activity, activated RhoA, and Rho-kinase activity were determined in penes of WT and both mutant mouse groups. Constitutive NOS and PKG activities, RhoA, Rho-kinase-α and-β isoforms, and phosphorylated myosin light chain phosphatase target subunit (p-MYPT-1) expressions as well as Rho-kinase activity were determined in penes of eNOS−/− mice after eNOS gene transfer.
Results:When compared with results in the WT penis, eNOS−/− and dNOS−/− mutant mouse penes had significant reductions in NOS activity, cGMP concentration, PKG activity, Rho-kinase activity and p-MYPT-1 expression (p<0.05) with no significant changes in activated RhoA or in RhoA and Rho-kinase-α and-β protein expressions. After eNOS gene transfer to penes of eNOS−/ − mice, Rho-kinase-β and p-MYPT-1 expressions and total Rho-kinase activity were significantly increased from baseline levels (p<0.05).
Conclusions:These data suggest that endothelial NO serves a role in the penis as a regulator of the basal signaling functions of the NO and RhoA/Rho-kinase erection mediatory pathways. These data offer new insight into the homeostasis of erection regulatory biology.