Effects of RhoA/Rho-kinase in the regulation of penile erection].

Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Luzhou Medical Colleage, Luzhou, Shichuan 646000, China. xiachuan0229@163.com

Zhonghua nan ke xue = National journal of andrology 2007 Jun

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The erectile response of the penis depends on a balance between vasoconstrictor agents, which cause cavernosal smooth muscle to contract limiting blood inflow, and vasodilators, which relax cavernosal smooth muscle leading to increased blood inflow and erection. This review emphasizes the role of the RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway in the cavernosal circulation. While it is widely held that the nitric oxide-cyclic GMP-protein kinase G(NO-cGMP-PKG) pathway mediates vasorelaxation and penile erection, the vasoconstrictor actions of endothelin ET-1 and NE are reported to be mediated by the RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway in the cavernosal circulation and NO relax cavernosal smooth by inhibition of Rho-kinase. The application of Rho-kinase inhibitor on the penile erection may represent a new and promising method of treatment for erectile dysfunction.

Citation

Chuan Xia, Rui Jiang. Effects of RhoA/Rho-kinase in the regulation of penile erection]. Zhonghua nan ke xue = National journal of andrology. 2007 Jun;13(6):546-9