Role of Resveratrol on the Effect of Resistin in Rabbit Corpus Cavernosum

Abstract

Objective:Resistin is an important factor in the pathogenesis of obesity-induced insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction-mediated cardiovascular system diseases. Endothelial dysfunction is one of the most important causes of erectile dysfunction. Polyphenol resveratrol has several pharmacological functions, such as preventing endothelial dysfunction and inducing endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation via redox regulation and nitric oxide production. The present study tested the hypothesis that resveratrol restores endothelium-mediated responses that are disrupted by resistin.Materials and Methods:After a 24 h incubation period of tissues with resistin, endothelium-dependent and independent relaxation responses and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase level were evaluated in the presence and absence of resveratrol in rabbit corpus cavernosum (CC).Results:Resistin caused no impairment in the endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxation responses. In the presence of resistin, NADPH oxidase levels increased by 28% in the CC tissues. However, the difference was not statistically significant. Resveratrol administration caused a significant decrease in NADPH oxidase activity in the resistin-treated group compared with the resistin-alone group.Conclusion:Resistin caused no changes in the functional responses of CC and NADPH oxidase activity, but resveratrol incubation significantly reduced NADPH oxidase activity in penile tissue. Based on the results of the study, resveratrol may be a treatment target under conditions in which NADPH oxidase activity is increased in penile tissue. In line with the results of this study, the effect of resistin on CC must be investigated at different concentrations and incubation times.

Keywords

• resveratrol
• resistin
• erectile dysfunction
• corpus cavernosum
• rabbit