Fig 1.
Bar graphs and representative traces showing the comparison in CVOF at 30 days after surgery among the S, I and L groups.
(a) Papaverine response, (b) Maintenance rate, (c) Drop rate, (d) Representative trace of dynamic infusion cavernosometry (DIC), and (e) Representative trace of papaverine-induced intracavernous pressure (ICP) / mean arterial pressure (MAP), CVOF = cavernosal veno-occlusive function, CNCI = cavernous nerve crush injury, S = sham surgery group, I = bilateral CNCI group, L = bilateral CNCI group treated with chronic administration of LIMK2 inhibitors. * p < 0.05 vs. I group; † p < 0.05 vs. S group.
Fig 2.
Effect of chronic administration of LIMK2 inhibitors on smooth muscle/collagen ratio and smooth muscle content after 30 days of surgery.
(A) Representative images for Masson’s trichrome staining in (a) S group, (b) I group, and (c) L group. Smooth muscle and collagen fibers were stained in red and blue, respectively (magnification ×40). (d) A bar graph showing the comparison of the smooth muscle/collagen ratio (mean ± SEM) among the S, I and L groups. (B) Representative images for immunohistochemical staining of α-SMA in (a) S group, (b) I group, and (c) L group. (d) A bar graph showing the comparison of smooth muscle content (mean ± SEM) between the S and I groups. Data represent the percentage of smooth muscle fibers in a given area. S = sham surgery group, I = bilateral CNCI group, L = bilateral CNCI group treated with chronic administration of LIMK2 inhibitors. * p < 0.05 vs. I group; † p < 0.05 vs. S group.
Fig 3.
(A) Representative western blot images and bar graphs (mean ± SEM) showing the comparison in the protein expression of (B) ROCK1, (C) phosphorylated LIMK2/total LIMK2, (D) phosphorylated Cofilin/total Cofilin, (E) Collagen 1, and (F) Fibronectin in the cavernosal tissues among the S, I and L groups using densitometry. The results were normalized by β-actin expression and presented as fold changes over controls. S = sham surgery group, I = bilateral CNCI group, L = bilateral CNCI group treated with chronic administration of LIMK2 inhibitors. * p < 0.05 vs. I group; † p < 0.05 vs. S group.
Fig 4.
Effect of chronic administration of LIMK2 inhibitors on the content of fibroblasts positive for phosphorylated Cofilin after 30 days of surgery.
(A) Representative images for double immunofluorescent staining of cavernosal tissue with anti-Vimentin and anti-phospho-Cofilin in the S, I and L groups using confocal microscope. White arrows indicate significant expression of phosphorylated Cofilin in cavernosal fibroblasts (yellow color in merged or magnified image). Scale bar = 100 μm. (B) A bar graph showing the comparison in fibroblasts positive for phosphorylated Cofilin (mean ± SEM) among the S, I and L groups. S = sham surgery group, I = bilateral CNCI group, L = bilateral CNCI group treated with chronic administration of LIMK2 inhibitors. * p < 0.05 vs. I group; † p < 0.05 vs. S group.