PURPOSE: Bladder outlet obstruction leads to histological and functional changes in the bladder over time. We investigated the role of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the progression of pathological changes of the bladder secondary to outlet obstruction in a rat and a mouse model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To assess expression of iNOS in the bladder, polymerase chain reaction amplification of mRNA was done. Rats were subjected to sham operation or partial bladder outlet obstruction. They were given the iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine in drinking water or unmodified water. After 2 weeks, awake cystometric evaluation was performed, the bladders were harvested and the degree of fibrosis was assessed. In another series of experiments mice deficient in the iNOS gene (iNOS -/-) were compared to WT mice for cystometric as well as histological changes in the bladder following partial bladder outlet obstruction or sham operation. RESULTS: Partial bladder outlet obstruction induced the expression of iNOS mRNA in the mouse bladder. iNOS -/- mice showed a significantly smaller increase in bladder volume at 3 weeks compared with WT. Pharmacological inhibition of iNOS activity significantly attenuated the increase in bladder size and the number of spontaneous bladder contractions in obstructed rats at 2 weeks. Furthermore, genetic and pharmacological decreases in iNOS led to significantly less fibrosis of the bladder after partial bladder outlet obstruction in mice and rats, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacological or genetic decreases in iNOS resulted in amelioration of functional and fibrotic changes in the bladder after partial bladder outlet obstruction, suggesting that NO contributes to the pathophysiology of bladder outlet obstruction.
