The use of telemetry technology to test the proerectile effect of melanotan-II (MT-II) in conscious rats

  • Eur Urol. 2005 Jul;48(1):145-51; discussion 151-2. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2005.02.023.
F Giuliano  1 ,  A-S Rössler ,  P Clément ,  S Droupy ,  L Alexandre ,  J Bernabé
Affiliations
  • 1. Pelvipharm Laboratories, CNRS, Bat 5, 1 avenue de la Terrasse, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France. [email protected]
PMID: 15967265 DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2005.02.023
Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to demonstrate that monitoring, by means of telemetry technology, the increases in intracavernosal pressure (ICP) in freely moving rats using melanotan-II (MT-II) as a proerectile inducer compound is a relevant experimental model to investigate the effects of pharmacological agents on erection.

Methods: Adult rats were implanted in the corpus cavernosum with a pressure sensor which permitted telemetric monitoring of ICP in freely moving Animals following MT-II (0.1, 0.3 and 1 mg/kg) or saline i.v. injections. ICP was also measured after MT-II (0.1, 0.3 or 1 mg/kg) or saline i.v. delivery in anesthetized rats.

Results: In conscious rats, MT-II (1 mg/kg) significantly increased overall erectile activity compared to saline. In anesthetized rats, MT-II-induced increase in overall erectile activity was not statistically significant but displayed a similar pattern.

Conclusions: The use of telemetry technology allowed to collect quantifiable and reliable data regarding the proerectile activity of MT-II in physiological conditions. The telemetry model appears suitable for investigating the potential inducer proerectile properties of pharmacological agents.

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