Fatty acid profiles in normal and obstructed rabbit bladder smooth muscle and mucosa

Partial bladder outlet obstruction results in progressive loss in contracti le and specific cellular and subcellular membrane functions. There is evide nce that ischemic activation of proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes play a ma jor role in the etiology of bladder dysfunction secondary to partial outlet obstruction. The specific aims of the current study were to determine the fatty acid profiles in normal rabbit bladder smooth muscle and mucosa and t o determine the effect of partial outlet obstruction on the distribution an d content of free and total fatty acids. Fatty acids were isolated by extra ction from obstructed and normal bladder smooth muscle and mucosal homogena tes, and samples were analyzed by gas chromatography. All samples contained palmitic, stearic, oleic, Linoleic, and arachidonic acids. A 100% increase in total fatty acid concentration was observed in the obstructed bladder m uscle tissue relative to normal bladders, although the concentration of tot al arachidonic acid remained constant in the two groups. Significantly high er levels of free arachidonic acid were observed in the obstructed bladder muscle group compared to the normal group. No changes were observed in fatt y acid concentrations or distributions in bladder mucosa. These data show t hat fatty acid composition is altered as a result of bladder obstruction an d support the idea that obstruction increases the activity of lipase activi ty and/or decreases acyl transferase activity. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss,Inc.