Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonist as a novel treatment for interstitial cystitis: A rat model.

Purpose: To understand the therapeutic potential of pioglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) agonist with a propensity to cause bladder mucosal proliferation, on interstitial cystitis (IC) in a rat model.

Materials And Methods: Using a previously described animal model for IC, Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with biweekly cyclophosphamide injections (35 mg/kg) to induce cystitis. Animals were divided into 4 groups (n=6 for each group): IC plus daily sham saline gavage (ICPio), IC plus daily pioglitazone gavage (15 mg/kg) (ICPio), normal rats with daily pioglitazone (ICPio), and normal rats with neither IC nor pioglitazone (ICPio or Control).