Objectives: To determine whether caveolin-1 expression is associated with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) and to better understand the pathogenesis of BPS/IC. Methods: The study population was composed of 19 women with BPS/IC and 7 healthy women as controls. Midstream urine specimens were collected before cystoscopy and cold cup bladder biopsies were obtained from the trigone of the bladder. Caveolin-1 protein expression was determined by indirect immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis in cases and controls, using a rabbit polyclonal antibody against caveolin-1. χ2 test and Student’s t test were used in the statistical analysis. Results: A statistical difference of caveolin-1 protein expression was observed between BPS/IC and healthy controls (p < 0.05, χ2 test). Western blot analysis showed that the mean relative integrated density value of caveolin-1 in (BPS/IC) patients was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.001, Student’s t test). Conclusions: The results of our study demonstrate that there is a relationship between the raised levels of caveolin-1 expression and BPS/IC. This preliminary study may provide a basis for further investigation of the role of caveolin-1 in the pathogenesis of BPS/IC.

Keywords:
Interstitial cystitis, Caveolin-1, Bladder pain syndrome
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© 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel
2011
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