Morphogenesis of Penile Cavernous Fibrosis in Hypotestosteronemia: an Experimental Study

Abstract

Introduction. Erectile dysfunction is a multifactorial condition that is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. The classic method for studying the fundamental aspects of erectile reactions in normal and pathological conditions, as well as creating new methods of treatment, is experimental animal models used in preclinical studies. However, for more than 30 years of studying this problem in experimental researches, the specific moment of occurrence of morphological alterations in the cavernous bodies of the penis has not been established. In addition, the choice of the time frame of the developed therapeutic effects on the penis is not substantiated and differs for various authors, which indicates the lack of validity of their results.Purpose of the study. To determine the features of morphological alterations and the severity of fibrogenic pathological process in the cavernous bodies of the penis in the time dynamics of experimental modeling of hypotestosteronemia.Materials and methods. Laboratory animals is 20 white male rabbits, «New Zealand» breed, Oryctolagus cuniculus genus. Penile cavernous fibrosis in rabbits was induced by hypotestosteinemia due to bilateral orchiectomy. The level of total testosterone in the systemic blood flow in laboratory animals was determined on 1, 2, 3, 14, 21, and 28 days. Biopsies of penile tissues were evaluated by pathomorphological examination (Hematoxylin-eosin, Masson’s trichrome, Weigert’s staining, and light microscopy). Statistical processing of the obtained data was performed using Microsoft Excel and «Statistica 10.0» programs using the Student`s T-criteria.Results. Castration of rabbits leads to a 10-fold decrease in blood testosterone levels after 1 day after castration. Testosterone deficiency occurs by day 28. Morphological signs of the restructuring of smooth muscle cells, sinuses and connective tissue structures in the cavernous bodies of the penis are clearly defined by the day 7 after castration. Severe fibrotic changes in the cavernous tissues of the penis were noted at day 28.Conclusion. Thus, the obtained data demonstrate the dynamics of morphological alterations in penile tissues as early as 7 days after inducing hypotestosteronemia, which indicates the need to revise the time frame of therapeutic effects in studies using the castration animal model of erectile dysfunction.