Pathway analysis of microarray data from corpora cavernosal tissue of patients with a prostatectomy or Peyronie disease in comparison with a cavernous nerve-injured rat model of erectile dysfunction.

Introduction: Patients with a prostatectomy are at high risk of developing erectile dysfunction (ED) that is refractory to phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors. The cavernous nerve (CN) is frequently damaged during prostatectomy, causing loss of innervation to the penis. This initiates corpora cavernosal remodeling (apoptosis and fibrosis) and results in ED.

Pathway Enrichment Analysis of Microarray Data Fom Human Penis of Diabetic and Peyronie's Patients, in Comparison With Diabetic Rat Erectile Dysfunction Models.

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a debilitating medical condition in which current treatments are minimally effective in diabetic patients due to neuropathy of the cavernous nerve, a peripheral nerve that innervates the penis. Loss of innervation causes apoptosis of penile smooth muscle, remodeling of corpora cavernosa (penile erectile tissue) morphology, and ED.

Aim: In this study, microarray and pathway analysis were used to obtain a global understanding of how signaling mechanisms are altered in diabetic patients and animal models as ED develops, in order to identify novel targets for disease management, and points of intervention for clinical therapy development.