Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibition synergizes rho-kinase antagonism and enhances erectile response in male hypertensive rats

To evaluate the association between hypertension, male erectile function, Rho-kinase, and cyclic GMP pathways, we monitored neurogenic erectile response in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) vs normotensive rats. We also evaluated SHR erectile function before and after intracavernosal injection of either the specific Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632 or a combination of Y-27632 and the PDE5 inhibitor zaprinast to prevent cGMP degradation. SHR had lower resting baseline corpus cavernosum pressure and a higher threshold for development of tumescence than normotensive rats. In SHR, Y-27632 administration reversed hypertension-related changes in male erectile function; Rho-kinase antagonism and PDE5 inhibition in combination had a synergistic effect in improving the neurogenic erectile response. Our data indicate that hypertension is associated with impairment in the SHR neurogenic erectile response that may involve a derangement in hemodynamic mechanisms in penile erectile tissue. Rho-kinase inhibition alone or combined with PDE5 inhibition may be of value in treating hypertension-related ED.