Intratunical Injection of Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells Restores Collagen III/IRatio in a Rat Model of Chronic Peyronies Disease

Introduction: Previous studies have shown that the injection of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) into the tunica albuginea (TA) during the active phase of Peyronies disease (PD) prevents the development of fibrosis. Aim: To investigate, using an animal model, whether local injection of human ADSCs (hADSCs) can alter the degree of fibrosis in the chronic phase of PD. Methods: 27 male, 12-week-old rats were divided into 3 equal groups: sham, PD without treatment, and PD treated with hADSCs 1 month after disease induction. Sham rats underwent 2 injections of vehicle into the TA 1 month apart. PD rats underwent transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) injection and injection of vehicle 1 month later. PD-hADSC rats underwent TGF beta 1 injection followed by 1 million hADSCs 1 month later. 1 week after treatment, n = 3 animals/group were euthanized, and the penises were harvested for quantitative polymerase chain reaction. 1 month after treatment, the other animals, n = 6 per group, underwent measurement of intracavernous pressure (ICP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) during electrostimulation of the cavernous nerve. After euthanasia, penises were again harvested for histology and Western blot. Main Outcome Measure: The primary outcome measures included (a) gene expression at one week post-injection; (b) measurement of ICP/MAP upon cavernous nerve stimulation as a measure of erectile function; (c) elastin, collagen I and III protein expression; and (d) Histomorphometric analysis of the penis. Means where compared by analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by a Student-Newman-Keuls test for post hoc comparisons or Mann-Whitney test when applicable. Results: No significant difference was noted in ICP or ICP/MAP in response to cavernous nerve electrostimulation between the 3 groups at 2.5, 5, and 7.5 V (Pamp;gt;.05 for all voltages). PD animals developed tunical and subtunical areas of fibrosis with a significant upregulation of collagen III protein. The collagen III/I ratio was higher in the PD (4.6 +/- ...