Identification of Androgen Receptors in the Motoneurons of the External Urethral Sphincter in the Spinal Cord of Female Rats

• Published in: European urology 2005, Vol.47 (1), p.118-124
• Main Authors: Blanchet, Pascal, Yaici, El-Djouher, Cayzergues, Laure, Giuliano, François, Jardin, Alain, Benoit, Gérard, Droupy, Stéphane
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Androgen receptors; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Continence; Female; Male; Medical sciences; Motor Neurons - chemistry; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Pudendal motoneurons; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, Androgen - analysis; Spinal Cord - chemistry; Urethra - innervation; Urethral sphincter
• ISSN: 0302-2838; 1873-7560
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2004.07.004

In women, aging is associated with profound hormonal changes. Menopause has been implicated in the etiology of urinary tract complaints including incontinence, urgency and recurrent urinary tract infections. However, the use of hormone replacement therapy for these conditions has given conflicting and disappointing results. The role of androgen changes on urinary continence in perimenopausal women has not been studied. We studied the presence of androgen receptors in pudendal motoneurons controlling the external urethral sphincter of female rats. A combination of retrograde labeling of pudendal motoneurons from the external urethral sphincter and immunohistochemistry for the N-terminal portion of androgen receptors on spinal cord sections was performed in adult female rats. Androgen receptors were identified in the nuclei of the ventral horn of the L5–L6 spinal cord. Pudendal motoneurons, retrogradely labeled from the external urethral sphincter, were identified in the dorsolateral nucleus of the ventral horn at the same levels. Confocal microscopy demonstrated the presence of nuclear and cytoplasmic androgen receptors in the cell bodies of these retrogradely labeled pudendal motoneurons. Our study demonstrated the presence of androgen receptors in the cell bodies of retrogradely labeled pudendal motoneurons controlling the urethral sphincter of female rats suggesting a role of androgens in the neuromodulation of urethral sphincter function at the spinal level.