{"title":"Hypoandrogenic state inhibits erectile function in rats via miR-200a-3p.","authors":"Yuan Wang, Jun Jiang, Rui Jiang","doi":"10.1093/jsxmed/qdaf081","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Androgen deficiency is an important cause of erectile dysfunction (ED), and miRNAs are small-molecule RNAs with multiple biological functions. However, whether androgen deficiency affects erectile function by regulating miRNAs is unknown.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>The aim of the study was to investigate the differential expression of key miRNAs in the penile corpus cavernosum of castrated rats and the relationship between these miRNAs and erectile function.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The expression of key miRNAs in the penile corpus cavernosum of sham-operated, castration-operated, and post-castration testosterone replacement-treated rats was detected via high-throughput sequencing. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed to identify significantly up-regulated and down-regulated miRNAs in the penile corpus cavernosum of castrated rats, functional assays and prediction and validation of target genes were performed for key miRNAs, and the relationships between the expression of key microRNAs and maximum intracavernous pressure/mean arterial pressure ratio (ICPmax/MAP) were examined.</p><p><strong>Outcomes: </strong>Significant up-regulation of miR-200a-3p in the penile corpus cavernosum of castrated rats leads to ED by activating the RhoA/Rho-kinase signaling pathway and inhibiting p-eNOS/eNOS.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among these miRNAs, the expression of miR-200a-3p was significantly greater in the penile corpus cavernosum of the cast group (50.67 ± 6.91) than in that of the sham group (1.00 ± 0.09) and the cast+T group (2.07 ± 0.35) (P < 0.05). Dlc1 and p-eNOS/eNOS in the penile corpus cavernosum of the cast group were significantly lower than those of the sham and cast+T groups (P < 0.05). The over-expression of miR-200a-3p significantly inhibited the expression of Dlc1 and decreased p-eNOS/eNOS and ICPmax/MAP (P < 0.05). Inhibition of miR-200a-3p significantly up-regulated the expression of Dlc1 and elevated the ICPmax/MAP (P < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Clinical implications: </strong>Inhibition of miR-200a-3p expression and function in the penile corpus cavernosum may be a potential treatment for ED due to androgen deficiency.</p><p><strong>Strengths and limitations: </strong>This study revealed that miR-200a-3p can lead to ED by affecting the RhoA/Rho-kinase and eNOS/NO signaling pathways. However, the specific mechanism of miR-200a-3prole in ED needs to be further investigated.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Significant up-regulation of miR-200a-3p in the penile corpus cavernosum of castrated rats inhibited Dlc1 expression, which activated the RhoA/Rho-kinase signaling pathway in smooth muscle cells and inhibited p-eNOS/eNOS in endothelial cells to suppress erectile function. Inhibiting endogenous miR-200a-3p in the penile corpus cavernosum of castrated rats may improve erectile function.</p>","PeriodicalId":51100,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sexual Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"993-1005"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Sexual Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdaf081","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"UROLOGY & NEPHROLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Androgen deficiency is an important cause of erectile dysfunction (ED), and miRNAs are small-molecule RNAs with multiple biological functions. However, whether androgen deficiency affects erectile function by regulating miRNAs is unknown.
Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the differential expression of key miRNAs in the penile corpus cavernosum of castrated rats and the relationship between these miRNAs and erectile function.
Methods: The expression of key miRNAs in the penile corpus cavernosum of sham-operated, castration-operated, and post-castration testosterone replacement-treated rats was detected via high-throughput sequencing. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed to identify significantly up-regulated and down-regulated miRNAs in the penile corpus cavernosum of castrated rats, functional assays and prediction and validation of target genes were performed for key miRNAs, and the relationships between the expression of key microRNAs and maximum intracavernous pressure/mean arterial pressure ratio (ICPmax/MAP) were examined.
Outcomes: Significant up-regulation of miR-200a-3p in the penile corpus cavernosum of castrated rats leads to ED by activating the RhoA/Rho-kinase signaling pathway and inhibiting p-eNOS/eNOS.
Results: Among these miRNAs, the expression of miR-200a-3p was significantly greater in the penile corpus cavernosum of the cast group (50.67 ± 6.91) than in that of the sham group (1.00 ± 0.09) and the cast+T group (2.07 ± 0.35) (P < 0.05). Dlc1 and p-eNOS/eNOS in the penile corpus cavernosum of the cast group were significantly lower than those of the sham and cast+T groups (P < 0.05). The over-expression of miR-200a-3p significantly inhibited the expression of Dlc1 and decreased p-eNOS/eNOS and ICPmax/MAP (P < 0.05). Inhibition of miR-200a-3p significantly up-regulated the expression of Dlc1 and elevated the ICPmax/MAP (P < 0.05).
Clinical implications: Inhibition of miR-200a-3p expression and function in the penile corpus cavernosum may be a potential treatment for ED due to androgen deficiency.
Strengths and limitations: This study revealed that miR-200a-3p can lead to ED by affecting the RhoA/Rho-kinase and eNOS/NO signaling pathways. However, the specific mechanism of miR-200a-3prole in ED needs to be further investigated.
Conclusion: Significant up-regulation of miR-200a-3p in the penile corpus cavernosum of castrated rats inhibited Dlc1 expression, which activated the RhoA/Rho-kinase signaling pathway in smooth muscle cells and inhibited p-eNOS/eNOS in endothelial cells to suppress erectile function. Inhibiting endogenous miR-200a-3p in the penile corpus cavernosum of castrated rats may improve erectile function.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Sexual Medicine publishes multidisciplinary basic science and clinical research to define and understand the scientific basis of male, female, and couples sexual function and dysfunction. As an official journal of the International Society for Sexual Medicine and the International Society for the Study of Women''s Sexual Health, it provides healthcare professionals in sexual medicine with essential educational content and promotes the exchange of scientific information generated from experimental and clinical research.
The Journal of Sexual Medicine includes basic science and clinical research studies in the psychologic and biologic aspects of male, female, and couples sexual function and dysfunction, and highlights new observations and research, results with innovative treatments and all other topics relevant to clinical sexual medicine.
The objective of The Journal of Sexual Medicine is to serve as an interdisciplinary forum to integrate the exchange among disciplines concerned with the whole field of human sexuality. The journal accomplishes this objective by publishing original articles, as well as other scientific and educational documents that support the mission of the International Society for Sexual Medicine.