Insulin resistance in penile arteries from a rat model of metabolic syndrome.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Metabolic and cardiovascular abnormalities accompanying metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, insulin resistance and hypertension, are all associated with endothelial dysfunction and are independent risk factors for erectile dysfunction. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the vascular effects of insulin in penile arteries and whether these effects are impaired in a rat model of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.

Experimental approach

Penile arteries from obese Zucker rats (OZR) and their counterpart, lean Zucker rats (LZR), were mounted on microvascular myographs and the effects of insulin were assessed in the absence and presence of endothelium and of specific inhibitors of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, phosphatidylinositol 3-ki

SUBMITTER: Contreras C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2989587 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature