Functional and molecular alterations in a rat model of detrusor underactivity induced by bilateral pelvic nerve crush injury

Objective:

To investigate the functional and molecular alterations in detrusor underactivity (DU) in a rat model of bilateral pelvic nerve crush injury.

Methods:

This study included 39 female Sprague-Dawley rats separated into three groups (sham, 2-week DU, and 4-week DU), with 13 rats in each group. A bilateral pelvic nerve crush injury was induced in each group to develop a DU model. Similarly, the sham group was identically prepared but without crushing nerves. Awake continuous cystometry was performed two weeks post-surgery in the sham and 2-week DU groups and four weeks post-surgery in the 4-week DU group (n = 7/each group). In another group of rats (n = 6/each group), the bladders were harvested for western blotting, and the expression of moesin, ezrin, and transthyretin in the bladders was evaluated.

Results:

On cystometry, voided volume, post-void residual urine volume, bladder capacity, and number of non-voiding contractions were significantly higher in the 2- and 4-week DU groups than in the sham group. Furthermore, voiding efficiency was significantly decreased in the 2- and 4-week DU groups compared to that in the sham group.

The expression of moesin in the bladder was significantly higher in the 2-week DU group than that in the sham group. The expression of transthyretin in the bladder was significantly higher in the 2- and 4-week DU groups than that in the sham group.

Conclusion:

The significant increase in the expression of moesin and transthyretin in the bladder in bilateral pelvic nerve crush injuries may be related to the pathophysiology of DU.