Influence of Intravesical Lower pH on the Micturition Reflex Threshold in the Rat

Peng Zeng¹, Shaohua Zeng¹, Chonghe Jiang^1,2*, Janwen Zeng¹, Jianfeng Mo¹, Sivert Lindström²

¹Department of Urology, Qingyan City People’s Hospital of Jinan University, Guangdong, China.
²Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Linköping, Linköping, Sweden.

DOI: 10.4236/oju.2014.412025                

Abstract

Aims: To investigate whether intravesical lower pH induces a micturition threshold reflex change of anaesthetized rats. Methods: Thirteen female rats, anaesthetized by a-chloralose and paralyzed by pancurone bromide were used for the experiments. The micturition threshold volume was determined by repeated cystometry. Simultaneously bladder afferent activities in four and efferent activities in seven rats were recorded from the exposed pelvic nerve to the bladder. Results: Cystometry with acidic saline at pH 3 and 4 induced a significant decrease in micturition threshold volume. The mean value of these groups of test showed that bladder compliance, micturition threshold pressure and maximal micturition contraction pressure were decreased significantly comparing with the controls. There were no changes in all other parameters recorded from afferent and efferent, e.g. afferent threshold volume, afferent or efferent activity at the micturition threshold and their peak activity at the micturition contraction. Conclusions: Acidic solution provoked sensitivity but reduced the force of the contractility to the urinary bladder. The effect was presented without a detectable change in the firing properties of bladder Ad mechanoreceptor afferents. It is proposed that proton sensitive bladder receptors with unmyelinated afferent were stimulated by the acidic solution and that the micturition reflex was facilitated by afferent inflow from such receptors. The findings were clinically important in choosing the medium for urodynamic examination.

Keywords

pH, Urinary Bladder, Micturition Threshold Volume, Afferent, Efferent, Rat

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Fall, M. and Lindstrom, S. (1991) Electrical Stimulation. A Physiologic Approach to the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence. Urologic Clinics of North America, 18, 393-407.
[2]	Hohlbrugger, G. (1999) Urinary Potassium and the Overactive Bladder. BJU International, 83, 22-28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1464-410X.83.s2.8.x
[3]	Geppetti, P., Tramontana, M., Patacchini, R., Del Bianco, E., Santicioli, P. and Maggi, C.A. (1990) Neurochemical Evidence for the Activation of the “Efferent” Function of Capsaicin-Sensitive Nerves by Lowering of the pH in the Guinea-Pig Urinary Bladder. Neuroscience Letters, 114, 101-106. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0304-3940(90)90435-C
[4]	Hohlbrugger, G. (1996) Leaky Urothelium and/or Vesical Ischemia Enable Urinary Potassium to Cause Idiopathic Urgency/Frequency Syndrome and Urge Incontinence. International Urogynecology Journal, 7, 242-255. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01901246
[5]	Lavin, J.M., Hosker, G.L. and Smith, A.R.B. (1997) Dose Urinary pH Influence Micturition Desire? Neurourology and Urodynamics, 16, 396-397.
[6]	Rentzhog, L. and Sundström, G. (1990) Micturition Reflex Disturbances—A Neglected Diagnosis. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 9, 355-356.
[7]	Hohlbrugger, G., Lentsch, P., Pfaller, K. and Madersbacher, H. (1985) Permeability Characteristics of the Rat Urinary Bladder in Experimental Cystitis and after Overdistension. Urologia Internationalis, 40, 211-216. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000281082
[8]	Jiang, C.H. and Lindstrom, S. (1996) Intravesical Electrical Stimulation Induces a Prolonged Decrease in Micturition Threshold Volume in the Rat. The Journal of Urology, 155, 1477-1481. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5347(01)66310-9
[9]	Keast, J.R., Booth, A.M. and De Groat, W.C. (1989) Distribution of Neurons in the Major Pelvic Ganglion of the Rat which Supply the Bladder, Colon or Penis. Cell and Tissue Research, 256, 105-112. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00224723
[10]	Jiang, C.H. (1998) Modulation of the Micturition Reflex Pathway by Intravesical Electrical Stimulation: An Experimental Study in the Rat. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 17, 543-553. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1520-6777(1998)17:5<543::AID-NAU11>3.0.CO;2-G
[11]	Hauser, P.J., Buethe, D.A., Sofinowski, T.M., Culkin, D.J., Hurst, R.E. and Califano, J. (2009) Restoring Barrier Function to Acid Damaged Bladder by Intravesical Chondroitin Sulfate. The Journal of Urology, 182, 2477-2482. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2009.07.013
[12]	Lee, J.W., Pak, S.C. and Jeon, S. (2012) Modified Yukmijihwangtang Suppresses the Production of Proinflammatory Cytokines in the Intravesical Hydrochloric Acid-Induced Cystitis Rat Model via the NF-κB Pathway. The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, 40, 321-334. http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S0192415X12500255
[13]	Zeng, J.W., Xie, K.J., Jiang, C.H., Mo, J.F. and Lindstrom, S. (2012) Bladder Mechanoreceptor Changes after Artificial Bladder Outlet Obstruction in the Anesthetized Rat. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 31, 178-184. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/nau.21219
[14]	Zeng, J.W., Pan, C.Z., Jiang, C.H. and Lindstrom, S. (2012) Cause of Residual Urine in Bladder Outlet Obstruction: An Experimental Study in the Rat. The Journal of Urology, 188, 1027-1032. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2012.04.101
[15]	Hohlbrugger, G. and Lentsch, P. (1985) Intravesical Ions, Osmolality and pH Influence the Volume Pressure Response in the Normal Rat Bladder, and This Is More Pronounced after DMSO Exposure. European Urology, 11, 127-130.
[16]	Nguan, C., Franciosi, L.G., Macleod, B.A., Jens, M., Fenster, H.N. and Butterfield, N.N. (2005) A Prospective, Double-Blind, Randomized Cross-Over Study Evaluating Changes in Urinary pH for Relieving the Symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis. BJU International, 95, 91-94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2004.05257.x
[17]	Sethia, K.K. and Smith, J.C. (1987) The Effect of pH and Lignocaine on Detrusor Instability. British Journal of Urology, 60, 516-518. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-410X.1987.tb05032.x
[18]	Hara, S., Tsuji, H., Amakawa, K., Hsieh, S.D., Arase, Y., Nakajima, H. and Ohmoto, Y. (2012) High Serum Uric Acid Level and Low Urine pH as Predictors of Metabolic Syndrome: A Retrospective Cohort Study in a Japanese Urban Population. Metabolism, 61, 281-288. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2011.06.026
[19]	Sengupta, J.N. and Gebhart, G.F. (1994) Mechanosensitive Properties of Pelvic Nerve Afferent Fibers Innervating the Urinary Bladder of the Rat. Journal of Neurophysiology, 72, 2420-2430.
[20]	Uvelius, B., Andersson, P.O. and Malmgren, A. (1990) Effects of Variations in Extracellular pH on Spontaneous Contractile Activity and Response to Nerve Stimulation in Smooth Muscle from Rat Urinary Bladder. Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology, 24, 47-51. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/00365599009180359
[21]	Geppetti, P., Del Bianco, E., Patacchini, R., Santicioli, P., Maggi, C.A. and Tramontana, M. (1991) Low pH-Induced Release of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide from Capsaicin-Sensitive Sensory Nerves: Mechanism of Action and Biological Response. Neuroscience, 41, 295-301. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0306-4522(91)90218-D
[22]	Sharma, A.P. and Manchanda, S.K. (1959) Vesico-Renal Reflex. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 47, 318