Changes in the Urinary Bladder Morphology, Mast Cell Population and Estrogen Receptor Alpha Expression Following Ovarectomy and Chronic Estrogen Replacement Therapy in Albino Rats

Abstract

Context. The inflammatory disorders of the urinary bladder represent one of the most frequent disorders associated with hormonal unbalances caused by menopause. The involvement of estrogens and mast cells in this complex mechanism mediated by neuro-hormonal pathway is well known, but the pathogenesis through which the hormonal deprivation is affecting the Estrogen Receptor expression and is predisposing to urinary bladder inflammatory changes is still argued.Objective. To determine the structural changes associated with surgically induced menopause, and the effect of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) in the urinary bladder morphology, mast cell population and Estrogen Receptor (ERα) expression.Subjects and methods. The effect of ovariectomy and ERT was monitored by quantifying the number of mast cells and the structural changes that the urinary bladder suffers. By immunohistochemistry we assessed the changes of the Estrogen Receptor Alpha (ERα) expression in the urothelium and detrusor muscle.The study was carried out on ovariectomised female rats over a period of 42 days.Results. The main alterations associated with the hormonal deprivation were represented by the growth in number of the bladder mast cells, atrophy of the urothelium and amplification of the expression of ERα from the urothelium, but not from the detrusor muscle. ERT significantly decreased the tissue expression for ERα, reduced the severity of bladder atrophy and the number of mast cells.Conclusions. The estrogenic hormonal substitution can diminish the severity of the atrophic, inflammatory and ERα changes in bladder disorders associated with ovarectomy in rat.

Changes in microscopic analysis of the urinary sediment in postmenopausal women who receive vaginal conjugated oestrogens

“…However, in this study the number of leukocytes significantly decreased, which agrees with reports for urinary bladder biopsies in which it has been shown that oestrogen privation is associated with inflammation [ 13 ].…”

“…All this causes a decrease of Doderlein’s bacilli, an increase of vaginal pH, and a decrease of the vaginal humidity, finally finishing in atrophy, all of which are corrected with oestrogen use [ 12 ]. In the rat urinary bladder, it has been shown that the lack of oestrogens is associated with atrophy of vesical epithelium and inflammation [ 13 ], which increases the risk of local infections [ 14 ] and vesical activity [ 15 ].…”

Histological changes in the vulva and vagina from ovariectomised rats undergoing oestrogen treatment

“…Under normal conditions, ER-a receptors are expressed in the adenohypophysis, breast, uterus, uterine tract and vagina, while ER-b receptors are expressed in the urinary tract, ovary, thyroid, skin, lung and thymus [18,33]. Due to the large number of oestrogenic receptors in the vagina and vulva, the latter will react promptly to the action of oestrogens, both natural and synthetic [1,2,8].…”

Body mass index as a risk prediction and prevention factor for professional mixed low-intensity EMF burden

“…While Kim et al (2001) was showing the negative feedback between estrogens and mast-cells cytokine production (TNFa and IL 6). Lucan et al (2013) are associating alterations in rats mainly with the hormonal deprivation due to prior ovarectomy, represented by growth in number of the bladder mast cells, atrophy of the urothelium and amplification of the expression of estrogen receptors-a from the urothelium. Other authors, cited in an actual review of the current bibliography, maintain the controversy: mastcells estrogen activation.…”