Uptake of /sup 3/H-choline and synthesis of /sup 3/H-acetylcholine by human penile corpus cavernosum

Conference · Wed Mar 05 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6992023

Blanco, R; Saenz de Tejada, I; Azadzoi, K; Goldstein, I; Krane, R J; Wotiz, H H; Cohen, R A

The neuroeffectors which relax penile smooth muscle and lead to erection are unknown; physiological studies of human corpus cavernosum, in vitro, have suggested a significant role of cholinergic neurotransmission. To further characterize the importance of cholinergic nerves, biopsies of human corpus cavernosum were obtained at the time of penile prosthesis implantation. Tissues were incubated in /sup 3/H-choline (10/sup -5/M, 80 Ci/mmol) in oxygenated physiological salt solution at 37/sup 0/C, pH 7.4 for 1 hour. Radiolabelled compounds were extracted with perchloric acid (0.4 M) and acetylcholine and choline were separated by HPLC; /sup 14/C-acetylcholine was used as internal standard. /sup 3/H-choline was accumulated by the tissues (20 +/- 1.9 fmol/mg), and /sup 3/H-acetylcholine was synthesized (4.0 +/- 1.1 fmol/mg). In control experiments, heating of the tissue blocked synthesis of /sup 3/H-acetylcholine. Inhibition of high affinity choline transport by hemicholinium-3 (10/sup -5/M) diminished tissue accumulation of /sup 3/H-choline and significantly reduced the synthesis of /sup 3/H-acetylcholine (0.5 +/ 0.2 fmol/mg, p < 0.05). These results provide direct evidence of neuronal accumulation of choline and enzymatic conversion to acetylcholine in human corpus cavernosum. Taken together with the physiological studies, it can be concluded that cholinergic neurotransmission in human corpus cavernosum plays a role in penile erection.

• Research Organization: Boston Univ. Medical Center, MA
• OSTI ID: 6992023
• Report Number(s): CONF-8604222-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Fed. Proc., Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol.; (United States) Journal Volume: 45:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ACETYLCHOLINE
ALCOHOLS
AMINES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
ANIMALS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
BIOSYNTHESIS
BODY
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CHOLINE
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DRUGS
ESTERS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIPOTROPIC FACTORS
LIQUID COLUMN CHROMATOGRAPHY
MALE GENITALS
MAMMALS
MAN
MUSCLES
NERVES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NEUROREGULATORS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PARASYMPATHOMIMETICS
PHYSIOLOGY
PRIMATES
QUATERNARY COMPOUNDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SYNTHESIS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
UPTAKE
VERTEBRATES