Abstract
Background
To investigate the effects of the c-kit blocker imatinib mesylate (Glivec) on the
bladders of animals with suprasacral cord injury (SSCI) and sacral cord injury (SCI).
Materials and methods
We randomized 60 female Sprague-Dawley rats into control, sham, SSCI (T8/9 transection),
and SCI (S1-3 transection) groups. Six weeks later, we evaluated the effects of stepwise
Glivec administrations on urinary bladder contraction using cystometry and the detrusor
strip stretch-test. We investigated spontaneous calcium transients of kit-positive
interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) with the preloaded Ca2+ indicator fluo-3AM. The expression levels of c-kit and the number of ICCs in those
bladders were determined using Western blot and fluorescence staining analyses, respectively.
Results
Bladder capacity and compliance were decreased in SSCI bladders and increased in SCI
bladders (P < 0.05). The amplitude and frequency of spontaneous contractions of detrusor strips,
the frequency and relative fluorescence intensity of the spontaneous Ca2+ waves, and c-kit expression in the bladder were significantly increased in the SSCI
group and decreased in the SCI group compared with the control and sham groups (P < 0.05). The dose-dependent effects of Glivec also confirmed consistent functional variations
in bladder activity.
Conclusions
The expressions and effects of Glivec were enhanced in SSCI bladders and inhibited
in SCI bladders, which may indicate potential roles of ICCs for the c-kit signaling
pathway in the pathogenesis of SSCI and SCI bladder.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 13, 2013
Accepted:
February 19,
2013
Received in revised form:
January 31,
2013
Received:
January 5,
2013
Identification
Copyright
© 2013 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
