AB240. Therapeutic effects of adipose-derived stem cells-based micro-tissues on erectile dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effects of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs)-based micro-tissues (MTs) on erectile dysfunction (ED) in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. METHODS: Fifty-six 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats received intraperitoneal injection of STZ (60 mg/kg) and eight weeks later, the determined diabetic rats randomly got intracavernous (IC) injection of phosphate buffer solution (PBS), ADSCs or MTs. Another eight normal rats equally received IC injection of PBS. MTs were generated with a hanging drop method and the injected cells were tracked in ADSCs and MTs injected rats. Four weeks after the treatments, intracavernous pressure (ICP), histopathological changes in corpus cavernosum (CC), and functional proteins were measured. Rat cytokine antibody array was used to detect ADSCs or MTs lysate. RESULTS: MTs expressed vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), nerve growth factor (NGF) and tumor necrosis factor-stimulated gene 6 (TSG-6). MTs injection had a higher retention than ADSCs injection and MTs treatment better improved ICP, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression, smooth muscle and endothelial contents in diabetic rats, ameliorated local inflammation in CC. CONCLUSIONS: IC injection of MTs improves the erectile function and histopathological changes in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and appears to be more promising than traditional ADSCs. The underlying mechanisms involve increased cell retention accompanied with neuroprotection and anti-inflammatory behaviors of the paracrine factors.