JAK2 deficiency improves erectile function in diabetic mice through attenuation of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and fibrosis

BACKGROUND: Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) is activated in diabetic mellitus (DM) conditions and may enhance oxidative stress, apoptosis and fibrosis in many tissues. Whether JAK2 activation is involved in the occurrence of diabetic erectile dysfunction (ED) is unknown. OBJECTIVES: We performed this study to investigate the effect of JAK2 deficiency on diabetic ED. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Conditional JAK2 gene knockout mice (Cre (+/+)‐JAK2(fl/fl) ) were used, in which JAK2 gene knockout could be induced by tamoxifen. Mice fell into four groups: control, JAK2 knockout (JAK2(−/−)), DM, and DM with JAK2(−/−). DM was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Two months later, JAK2 gene knockout was induced with tamoxifen in Cre(+/+)‐JAK2(fl/fl) mice. After another 2 months, erectile function was measured by electrical stimulation of the cavernous nerve, and penile tissues were harvested. Ratio of maximal intracavernosal pressure (MIP) to mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), expression and phosphorylation of JAK2, oxidative stress level, NO/Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate (cGMP) pathway, apoptosis, fibrosis, and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF‐β1)/Smad/Collagen IV pathway in corpus cavernosum, were measured. RESULTS: JAK2 expression was remarkably decreased after induction with tamoxifen. JAK2 was activated in penile tissues of diabetic mice, and JAK2 deficiency could improve the impaired erectile function caused by DM. However, in mice without DM, JAK2 deficiency had no apparent influence on erectile function. Levels of oxidative stress, apoptosis, fibrosis, and TGF‐β1/Smad/Collagen IV pathway were all elevated by DM, whereas JAK2 deficiency lessened these alterations in diabetic mice. Moreover, JAK2 deficiency improved the expression of the down‐regulated NO/cGMP pathway in diabetic mice. In non‐diabetic mice, no apparent changes were found in aforementioned parameters after JAK2 gene knockout. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our study showed that JAK2 deficiency could improve erectile function in diabetic mice, which might be mediated by reduction in oxidative stress, apoptosis, and fibrosis in corpus cavernosum.