Biomechanical properties and innervation of the female caveolin-1-deficient detrusor.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Caveolin-1-deficiency is associated with substantial urogenital alterations. Here, a mechanical, histological and biochemical characterization of female detrusors from wild-type and caveolin-1-deficient (KO) mice was made to increase the understanding of detrusor changes caused by lack of caveolae.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Length-tension relationships were generated, and we recorded responses to electrical field stimulation, the muscarinic receptor agonist carbachol and the purinoceptor agonist ATP. Tyrosine nitration and the contents of caveolin-1, cavin-1, muscarinic M₃ receptors, phospholipase C(β1), muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) and L-type Ca(2+) channels were determined by immunoblotting. Innervation was assessed by immunohistochemistry.

KEY RESULTS: Bladder to body weight ratio was not changed, nor was there any change in the optimum circumference for force development. Depolarization- and ATP-induced stress was reduced, as was carbachol-induced stress between 0.1 and 3 µM, but the supramaximal relative (% K(+)) response to carbachol was increased, as was M₃ expression. The scopolamine-sensitive component of the electrical field stimulation response was impaired, and yet bladder nerves contained little caveolin-1. The density of cholinergic nerves was unchanged, whereas CART- and CGRP-positive nerves were reduced. Immunoblotting revealed loss of MuSK.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Ablation of caveolae in the female detrusor leads to generalized impairment of contractility, ruling out prostate hypertrophy as a contributing factor. Cholinergic neuroeffector transmission is impaired without conspicuous changes in the density of cholinergic nerves or morphology of their terminals, but correlating with reduced expression of MuSK.