Brainstem nuclei responsive to cystometry in both endometriosis and cystitis rat models: C-fos immunohistochemistry study

Ayah A Bashkami, Ayah Bashkami, Bashkami AA, Ezidin G. Kaddumi, Mohamad Al‐Saghbini, Mohamad Al-Saghbini, Afnan J Kenana, Kenana AJ
Neurourology and urodynamics · 2024 · vol. 43(3) , pp. 779–791 · doi:10.1002/nau.25419 · PMID:38348646 · W4391785429
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-13 ⓘ

This study used c-fos immunohistochemistry in rat models to reveal overlapping brainstem nuclei excited by cystometry in both endometriosis and cyclophosphamide-induced cystitis conditions.

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Abstract

PURPOSE: Although the co-occurrence of interstitial cystitis (IC) and endometriosis (ENDO) is remarkably high, the exact pathophysiology for this co-occurrence is unknown. The convergence of the inputs from the involved structures to the same neuronal centers may suggest neuronal hyperexcitability as a mechanism for this co-occurrence. METHODS: The present study aimed to investigate the association between IC and ENDO, by studying the changes in brainstem responses to cystometry in a rat model of ENDO and cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced IC using c-fos immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Following cystometry the brainstem areas that had significant increase in c-fos expression in ENDO alone included: periaqueductal gray (PAG) nuclei, dorsal raphe nucleus, raphe obscurus nucleus, kolliker- Fuse areas, and area postrema. However, the brainstem areas that had increased significantly in the c-fos expression in the ENDO and CYP treated animals included: gigantocellular nucleus, lateral paragigantocellular nucleus, caudoventrolateral nucleus, rostroventrolateral/caudoventrolateral nucleus, lateral reticular nucleus, locus coeruleus, lateral PAG, raphe pallidus nucleus, raphe magnus nucleus, rostroventrolateral nucleus, dorsal motor nucleus of vagus, and solitary tract nucleus. Whereas only lateral parabrachial nucleus showed significant increase in c-fos expression in CYP treated animals alone. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study demonstrate the overlap of brainstem nuclei that are excited by urinary bladder under ENDO and IC conditions. The pattern of hyperexcitability of the brainstem nuclei may help in understating the pathophysiology of IC and ENDO conditions.

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Condition tags

endometriosisinterstitial_cystitis

MeSH descriptors

Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis Cystitis

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (47)

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