Early manifestation of aging-related vascular dysfunction in human penile vasculature-A potential explanation for the role of erectile dysfunction as a harbinger of systemic vascular disease

Autor: Mariam El Assar, Javier Angulo, Esther García-Rojo, Alejandro Sevilleja-Ortiz, Borja García-Gómez, Argentina Fernández, Alberto Sánchez-Ferrer, José M. La Fuente, Javier Romero-Otero, Leocadio Rodríguez-Mañas
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: GeroScience
ISSN: 2509-2723
Popis: Advanced age is related to functional alterations of human vasculature, but erectile dysfunction precedes systemic manifestations of vascular disease. The current study aimed to simultaneously evaluate the influence of aging on vascular function (relaxation and contraction responses) in systemic human vascular territories: aorta (HA) and resistance mesenteric arteries (HMA) and human corpus cavernosum (HCC) and penile resistance arteries (HPRA). Associations of oxidative stress and inflammation circulating biomarkers with age and functional responses were also determined. Vascular specimens were obtained from 76 organ donors (age range 18–87). Four age-groups were established: 65 years old. Increasing age was associated with a decline in endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by BK in HMA (r = -0.597, p = 0.0001), or by ACh in HCC (r = -0.505, p = 0.0022), and HPRA (r = -0.601, p = 0.0012). Significant impairment was detected at > 65 years old in HMA but earlier in penile vasculature (> 55 years old). Age-related reduction to H(2)O(2)-vasodilatory response started before in HCC (56–65 years old) than in HA (> 65 years old). In contrast to relaxation responses, aging-related hypercontractility to adrenergic stimulation was homogeneous: contractions significantly increased in subjects > 55 years old in all tested vessels. Although not significantly age related, circulating levels of ADMA (r = -0.681, p = 0.0052) and TNF-α (r = -0.537, p = 0.0385) were negatively correlated with endothelial vasodilation in HMA but not in HCC or HPRA. Penile vasculature exhibits an early impairment of endothelium-dependent and H(2)O(2)-induced vasodilations when compared to mesenteric microcirculation and aorta. Therefore, functional susceptibility of penile vasculature to the aging process may account for anticipation of erectile dysfunction to systemic manifestations of vascular disease. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11357-021-00507-x.
Databáze: OpenAIRE