As the applications for implantable medical devices have increased, the need for biocompatible packaging materials has become important. Recently, we reported an implantable sensor for real‐time monitoring of the changes in bladder volume, which necessitated finding a safe coating material for use in bladder tissue. At present, materials like polyethylene glycol (PEG), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and parylene‐C are used in biomedical devices or as coating materials, owing to their excellent safety in various medical fields. However, few studies have assessed their safety in bladder tissue, therefore, we evaluated the biocompatibility of PEG, PDMS and parylene‐C in the bladder. All three materials turned out to be safe in in vitro tests of live/dead staining and cell viability. In vivo tests with hematoxylin and eosin and immunofluorescence staining with MAC387 showed no persistent inflammation. Therefore, we consider that the three materials are biocompatible in bladder tissue. Despite this safety, however, PEG has biodegradable characteristics and thus is not suitable for use as packaging. We suggest that PDMS and parylene‐C can be used as safe coating materials for the implantable bladder volume sensor reported previously.

Background. Mesenchymal stem cell therapy (MSCT) and defocused low-energy shock wave therapy (ESWT) has been shown to ameliorate erectile dysfunction (ED). However, the interactions and effects of action between MSCT and ESWT remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of combination therapy with MSCT and ESWT in a rat model of diabetic ED.Materials and Methods. Eight-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 2 parts. Diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) were randomly divided into 4 groups: (1) DM control group, (2) DM + ESWT group, (3) DM + MSCT group, and (4) DM + ESWT + MSCT group. The sham group was a normal control group (without streptozotocin). MSCT and (or) ESWT were, respectively, administered to each group according to the proposal for 8 weeks. Immediately after recording of intracavernous pressure (ICP), the penis was then harvested for histologic analysis, ELISA, and Western blotting.Results. The ratio of ICP/MAP was significantly higher in the DM + ESWT + MSCT group than in ESWT or MSCT treated group (P<0.05). Also, the treatment stimulated angiogenesis and vasodilatation in the corpus cavernosum (P<0.05). ESWT increased the quantity of MSCs in the corpus cavernosum and also induced MSCs to express more VEGF in vitro and vivo (P<0.05) which activated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and NO/cGMP signaling pathways in the corpus cavernosum. The combination approach stimulated autophagy and decreased apoptosis in the corpus cavernosum. NGF and BDNF expressions were higher in the DM + ESWT + MSCT group than in the DM control group (P<0.01). Furthermore, the treatment promoted the MSC recruitment by inducing penile tissues to express more PECAM and SDF-1.Conclusions. Combination of LI-ESWT and MSCT can get a better result than a single treatment by expressing more VEGF which can take part in autophagy by triggering the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. This cooperative therapy would provide a new research direction in ED treatment for the future.

Anthocyanin is a natural plant pigment and potent antioxidant. This study was designed to investigate the effects of anthocyanin extracted from black soybeans on a rat model of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a disease associated with the geriatric population. Thirty male rats were divided into five experimental groups: a control group, a BPH-induced group, and three BPH-induced groups that received oral doses of anthocyanin (40, 80, and 160 mg/kg). Prostate hyperplasia was induced by the administration of testosterone propionate for 4 weeks. Following BPH induction, the anthocyanin-treated groups received the compound for 4 weeks. After anthocyanin treatment, the prostates from the rats in all groups were removed, weighed, and subjected to histological examination. Apoptosis in the prostates was measured by the TUNEL assay. The mean prostate weight for the control animals was 674.17 ± 28.24 mg, whereas the BPH-induced rats had a mean prostate weight of 1098.33 ± 131.31 mg. The mean prostate weights for the rats receiving 40, 80, and 160 mg/kg anthocyanin were 323.00 ± 22.41, 324.00 ± 26.80, and 617.50 ± 31.08 mg, respectively. The average prostate weight in the BPH-induced group was significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05), whereas the prostate weights in the anthocyanin-administered groups were significantly lower than in the BPH-induced group (p < 0.05). Injected testosterone led to prostatic hyperplasia as observed histologically, but anthocyanin administration helped to prevent this change. Apoptotic body counts were significantly higher in groups receiving anthocyanin than in the BPH-induced group (p < 0.05). These results suggest that anthocyanin may be effective in decreasing the volume and suppressing the proliferation of the prostate. Further studies are needed to better understand the mechanisms and actions of anthocyanin, and these studies may lead to the clinical application of anthocyanin in treating BPH.

Ahn ST, et al. World J Mens Health. 2022 Apr;40(2):299-307. https://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.210007

Ha US, et al. Yonsei Med J. 2015 Jan;56(1):16-23. https://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2015.56.1.16

Higher testicular temperature results in altered spermatogenesis due to heat‐related oxidative stress. We examined the effects of decursin extracted from Angelica gigas Nakai on antioxidant activity in vitro and in a cryptorchidism‐induced infertility rat model. TM3 Leydig cell viability was measured based on oxidative stress according to treatment. Either distilled water or AG 400 mg/kg of A. gigas extract was administered orally for 4 weeks after unilateral cryptorchidism was induced. After 1, 2, and 4 weeks, six rats from the control group and six rats from treatment group were sacrificed. Testicular weight, semen quality, antioxidant activities, nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) protein, and mRNA expression of Nrf2‐regulated genes were analyzed. Treatment with A. gigas extract (1) protected TM3 cells against oxidative stress in a dose‐dependent manner, (2) improved the mean weight of the cryptorchid testis, (3) maintained sperm counts, motility, and spermatogenic cell density, (4) decreased levels of 8‐hydroxy‐2‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG) and increased levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), (5) significantly increased Nrf2 and heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1), and (6) significantly decreased apoptosis. This study suggests that decursin extracted from A. gigas is a supplemental agent that can reduce oxidative stress by Nrf2‐mediated upregulation of HO‐1 in rat experimentally induced unilateral cryptorchidism and may improve cryptorchidism‐induced infertility.