Insulin-like growth factor-1 restores erectile function in aged rats: modulation the integrity of smooth muscle and nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate signaling activity

• Published in: Journal of sexual medicine Vol. 5; no. 6; p. 1345
• Main Authors: Pu, Xiao-Yong, Wang, Xing-Huan, Gao, Wai-Chen, Yang, Zhong-Hua, Li, Shi-Lin, Wang, Huai-Peng, Wu, Yi-Long
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 01.06.2008
• Subjects: Aging - physiology; Animals; Blood Pressure; Cyclic GMP - metabolism; Electric Stimulation; Erectile Dysfunction - drug therapy; Erectile Dysfunction - physiopathology; Immunohistochemistry; Injections; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - pharmacology; Male; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - metabolism; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Penis - innervation; Penis - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Signal Transduction

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is one of the growth factors that have a wide range of biologic effects. We have confirmed that gene transfer of IGF-1 to the penis could improve erectile capacity. However, there are some limitations in gene therapies, such as toxicity or a risk of insertional m...