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Role of PKCα and PKCι in phenylephrine-induced contraction of rat corpora cavernosa

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 16, pages 325–333 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Constriction of the penile vasculature prevents erection and is largely mediated by physiological agonists. We hypothesized that protein kinase C (PKC) may act as a regulator of penile vascular tone. Studies were designed to identify PKC isoforms present and to investigate their roles in phenylephrine-induced muscle contraction in the isolated rat corpora cavernosa. We demonstrated the presence of PKCα, β, γ, ɛ, δ, η, and ι in rat corpora cavernosa and a subcellular distribution, which favored a membrane association for PKCα, β, δ, and ι. Phenylephrine (3 μM) generated an active stress of 9.6±1.5 mN/mm2 and was associated with a significant increase of PKCα and PKCι immunoreactivity in the particulate fraction. The amount of PKCα and PKCι in the particulate fraction rose by 36±4.4 and 51±2.2% with phenylephrine stimulation. Furthermore, the phenylephrine concentration–response curve was potentiated in the presence of phorbol 12-myristate13-acetate (PMA) (0.1 μM), a PKC activator (EC50: phenylephrine 1.0±0.8 μM vs phenylephrine+PMA 0.3±0.1 μM) and inhibited in the presence of chelerythrine chloride (30 μM), a PKC inhibitor (EC50: phenylephrine 1.0±0.8 μM vs phenylephrine+chelerythrine chloride 5.7±2.4 μM). Based on these results, we suggest a potential role for PKCα and PKCι in phenylephrine-induced smooth muscle tone of the rat cavernosum.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Institute of Health (NIH DK59467) grant awarded to CJ Wingard. The authors are grateful to Dr John A Johnson for fruitful discussions during these studies.

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  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA

    S Husain

  2. Department of Physiology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA

    D Young & C J Wingard

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Correspondence to C J Wingard.

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Husain, S., Young, D. & Wingard, C. Role of PKCα and PKCι in phenylephrine-induced contraction of rat corpora cavernosa. Int J Impot Res 16, 325–333 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3901164

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