The effect of ovariectomy on biomarkers of urogenital ageing in old versus young adult rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of ageing and ovariectomy on biomarkers of urogenital ageing in old and young-adult rats. Fisher 344 rats (18- and 3-months-old, n = 6 x 2) underwent ovariectomy. Age-matched sham animals received no intervention (n = 6 x 2). One month later, biomarkers of urogenital ageing were evaluated (light microscopic count of urethral and anal canal submucosal blood vessels, Western blot analysis of urethral, and anal canal submucosal collagen I and III and cytoplasmic p27(kip1) expression in the striated urethral and anal sphincters and levator ani and gel electrophoresis of isomyosin I proportion in these muscles) and compared in all groups (n = 24). All biomarkers of urogenital ageing studied were significantly increased in old compared to young-adult sham rats. Ovariectomy significantly increased these changes further in old versus young-adult rats with either smaller or larger differential effect than ageing compared to young-adult sham animals. Ovariectomy significantly exacerbates normative urogenital ageing changes in rats.

Pelvic reconstructive surgery in geriatric urogynaecology: an uphill task

“…Ageing independently decreases the collagen I/III ratio and blood vessel counts in urethral and anal canal submucosa and increases isomyosin I/II in the levator ani therefore associated with reduced closure function and incontinence and ovariectomy significantly increases these changes. 10 Moalli et al examined the biopsies of vaginal apex histologically in women with and without prolapse and found increase in type III collagen and Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 expression in women with prolapse compared to women without prolapse. This suggests remodelling of tissue due to biomechanical stresses associated with prolapse.…”

Ageing of the female pelvic floor: towards treatment a la carte of the “geripause”

“…This is accompanied by considerable interest in the contemporary biomedical literature, in particular, about the prevalence, detrimental effects, and management of support-related pelvic floor dysfunction (pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and fecal incontinence) in the geripausal population. There seems to be no consensus, however, whether the exact underlying mechanism is normative ageing, falling circulating estrogen levels caused by menopausal ovarian failure, or a combination of both factors [3][4][5][6][7][8][9].It is widely believed that estrogen deprivation at the climacteric is primarily responsible for support-related pelvic floor dysfunction in geripausal women. This assumption is based on the detection of estrogen receptors in the components of continence-maintaining and supportive pelvic floor structures in premenopausal women and experimental animals [3][4][5][6].…”

“…There seems to be no consensus, however, whether the exact underlying mechanism is normative ageing, falling circulating estrogen levels caused by menopausal ovarian failure, or a combination of both factors [3][4][5][6][7][8][9].…”

“…This is accompanied by considerable interest in the contemporary biomedical literature, in particular, about the prevalence, detrimental effects, and management of support-related pelvic floor dysfunction (pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and fecal incontinence) in the geripausal population. There seems to be no consensus, however, whether the exact underlying mechanism is normative ageing, falling circulating estrogen levels caused by menopausal ovarian failure, or a combination of both factors [3][4][5][6][7][8][9].…”

“…This assumption is based on the detection of estrogen receptors in the components of continence-maintaining and supportive pelvic floor structures in premenopausal women and experimental animals [3][4][5][6]. In turn, estrogen replacement had been extensively used to prevent or restore the decline in pelvic floor support and/or deterioration of urinary and fecal control after the menopause but without critical analysis of the long-term cure rates or evidence-based improvement in clinical outcome after treatment in most studies [7].…”