Abstract
Background
To investigate whether FTY720, approved in 2010 for the treatment of patients with the relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis, could ameliorate erectile dysfunction induced by diabetes mellitus (DMED).
Methods
Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats (8 weeks old) were induced type I DM and the other eight rats formed the control (n=8). Eight weeks later, 17 rats with DMED tested with an apomorphine test were divided in two groups: DMED (n=8) and DMED + FTY720 (1 mg/kg/d; n=9). Treatment of FTY720 lasted for 4 weeks.
Results
Impaired erectile function, inhibited S1P3/Akt/NO/cGMP activity, serious corporal fibrosis and over-activated pathways (the Smad and non-Smad) were found in the DMED group compared with the control, while FTY720 partly but significantly improved these pathological changes induced by DM.
Conclusions
FTY720 supplementation inhibited endothelial dysfunction and corporal fibrosis, ultimately leading to partial improvement of DMED in rats. This finding provides evidence for a potential treatment method for DMED.
Keywords: Erectile dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, endothelial function, corporal fibrosis