Rho kinase: a target for treating urinary bladder dysfunction?

Stephan L M Peters; Martina Schmidt; Martin C Michel

doi:10.1016/j.tips.2006.07.002

Rho kinase: a target for treating urinary bladder dysfunction?

Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2006 Sep;27(9):492-7. doi: 10.1016/j.tips.2006.07.002. Epub 2006 Jul 25.

Authors

Stephan L M Peters¹, Martina Schmidt, Martin C Michel

Affiliation

¹ Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1105AZ, The Netherlands.

PMID: 16870270
DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2006.07.002

Abstract

Urinary incontinence and other urinary storage symptoms are frequent in the general population but available treatments have limited efficacy and tolerability. Rho kinase (ROCK) has a central role in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction, including that of the urinary bladder. Recent experimental evidence indicates that this role could be deregulated and exacerbated in local and systemic pathological conditions that affect the bladder. In vitro studies with prototypical ROCK inhibitors such as Y27632 and in vivo data from animal models indicate that such drugs have potential as future treatments for bladder dysfunction.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Diabetes Complications / drug therapy
Enzyme Activation
Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
Humans
Hypertension / complications
Hypertrophy
Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / physiology
Muscle Contraction
Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / physiology
Urinary Bladder / pathology
Urinary Bladder / physiology
Urinary Bladder Diseases / drug therapy*
rho-Associated Kinases

Substances

Enzyme Inhibitors
Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
rho-Associated Kinases