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Sucrose exposure during gestation lactation and postweaning periods increases the pubococcygeus muscle reflex activity in adult male rats

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 34, pages 564–572 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

Erectile dysfunction is related to metabolic alterations produced by a high carbohydrate diet, which may affect muscle activity during penile reflex in adulthood. We determined whether sucrose water consumption during gestation lactation and postweaning affects pubococcygeus muscle (Pcm) activity during urethrogenital reflex in adult male rat offspring. Twelve female rats were mated and grouped in control mothers consumed tap water and sucrose mothers consumed sucrose water during gestation lactation. Male pups were weaned and assigned into four groups (n = 6 each): those from control mothers who continued drinking tap water (CM–CO group) or sucrose water (CM–SO group) until adult life, and those from sucrose mothers who drank tap water (SM–CO group) or continued drinking sucrose water (SM–SO group) until adult life. Body weight, Pcm activity during penile stimulation by bipolar electrodes and urethrogenital reflex were analyzed. A catheter was placed into the urethra to record variations in urethral pressure after mechanical stimulation. Two-way ANOVA followed by post hoc tests were used considering P ≤ 0.05 as a significant difference. Males from the SM–SO group showed weight gain compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Also, sucrose intake promoted high Pcm activity (P < 0.0001) but reduced urethrogenital reflex duration CM–CO vs CM–SO (P = 0.02); CM–CO vs SM–CO (P = 0.01); CM–SO vs SM–SO (P < 0.003); and SM–CO vs SM–SO (P < 0.002). Our results suggest that a combination of a sucrose-rich diet during gestation lactation and postweaning modifies Pcm activation during penile reflex. The urethrogenital reflex is a spinal ejaculatory-like reflex, these rats could have penile dysfunction equivalent to premature ejaculation in men.

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Fig. 1: Experimental design.
Fig. 2: Depiction showing the male rat urogenital tract, pelvic (pubococcygeus, Pcm), and perineal (bulbospongiosus, Bsm) muscles during the simultaneous recording of penile stimulation or urethrogenital reflex and Pcm electromyograms (EMG).
Fig. 3: Body weight of dams during gestation and lactation.
Fig. 4: Representative recordings of the electromyography (EMG) activity of the pubococcygeus muscle (Pcm) during the penile stimulation in male rats of four groups.
Fig. 5: Simultaneuos recordings of the activity pubococcygeus muscle (Pcm) and urethral pressure (UP) during the urethrogenital reflex.
Fig. 6: Urethral pressure parameters of urethrogenital reflex (UGR) in male rats.
Fig. 7: Frequency of pubococcygeus muscle (Pcm) in male rat.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the excellent technical assistance of Laura García (Instituto de Biomédicas, UNAM).

Funding

This work was supported by grants from the Conacyt 295860VVO, 56146IXR, and UATLx-CA-237OLG.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Dora Luz Corona-Quintanilla, Verónica Velázquez-Orozco

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México

    Dora Luz Corona-Quintanilla, Omar Lara-García, Estela Cuevas, Margarita Martínez-Gómez, Leticia Nicolás Toledo & Jorge Rodríguez-Antolín

  2. Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México

    Verónica Velázquez-Orozco

  3. Maestría en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México

    Irving Xicohténcatl-Rugerio

  4. Licenciatura en Nutrición, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México

    Irving Xicohténcatl-Rugerio

  5. Departamento de Biología Celular y Fisiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, México

    Margarita Martínez-Gómez

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  1. Dora Luz Corona-Quintanilla
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Correspondence to Jorge Rodríguez-Antolín.

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Corona-Quintanilla, D.L., Velázquez-Orozco, V., Xicohténcatl-Rugerio, I. et al. Sucrose exposure during gestation lactation and postweaning periods increases the pubococcygeus muscle reflex activity in adult male rats. Int J Impot Res 34, 564–572 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-021-00450-7

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