In:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 100, No. 9 ( 2003-04-29), p. 5531-5536
Abstract:
The β 3 -adrenoreceptor plays a major role in lipolysis but the role and distribution of β 3 -receptors in other specific sites have not been extensively studied. β 3 -adrenergic receptors are present not only in adipose tissue but also in human gall bladder, colon, prostate, and skeletal muscle. Recently, β 3 -adrenergic receptor stimulation was shown to elicit vasorelaxation of rat aorta through the NO–cGMP signal transduction pathway. Here we show that β 3 -receptors are present in human corpus cavernosum and are localized mainly in smooth muscle cells. After activation by a selective β 3 -adrenergic receptor agonist, BRL 37344, there was a cGMP-dependent but NO-independent vasorelaxation that was selectively blocked by a specific β 3 -receptor antagonist. In addition, we report that the human corpus cavernosum exhibits basal β 3 -receptor-mediated vasorelaxant tone and that β 3 -receptor activity is linked to inhibition of the RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway. These observations indicate that β 3 -receptors may play a physiological role in mediating penile erection and, therefore, could represent a therapeutic target for treatment of erectile dysfunction.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0027-8424
,
1091-6490
DOI:
10.1073/pnas.0931347100
Language:
English
Publisher:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Publication Date:
2003
detail.hit.zdb_id:
209104-5
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1461794-8
SSG:
11
SSG:
12
Permalink