Oxytocin receptor antagonists as a novel pharmacological agent for reducing smooth muscle tone in the human prostate

Pharmacotherapies for the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) are targeted at reducing cellular proliferation (static component) or reducing smooth muscle tone (dynamic component), but response is unpredictable and many patients fail to respond. An impediment to identifying novel pharmacotherapies is the incomplete understanding of paracrine signalling. Oxytocin has been highlighted as a potential paracrine mediator of BPH. To better understand oxytocin signalling, we investigated the effects of exogenous oxytocin on both stromal cell proliferation, and inherent spontaneous prostate contractions using primary models derived from human prostate tissue. We show that the Oxytocin Receptor (OXTR) is widely expressed in the human prostate, and co-localises to contractile cells within the prostate stroma. Exogenous oxytocin did not modulate prostatic fibroblast proliferation, but did significantly (p < 0.05) upregulate the frequency of spontaneous contractions in prostate tissue, indicating a role in generating smooth muscle tone. Application of atosiban, an OXTR antagonist, significantly (p < 0.05) reduced spontaneous contractions. Individual tissue responsiveness to both exogenous oxytocin (R2 = 0.697, p < 0.01) and atosiban (R2 = 0.472,p < 0.05) was greater in tissue collected from older men. Overall, our data suggest that oxytocin is a key regulator of inherent spontaneous prostate contractions, and targeting of the OXTR and associated downstream signalling is an attractive prospect in the development of novel BPH pharmacotherapies

The Relationship between Isometric Force Characteristics and Vertical Jump Height under Various Loading Conditions.

Purpose: to examine the relationship between isometric force characteristics (IF) and vertical jump height under various loading conditions. Sixty-three collegiate athletes participated in this investigation. Athletes performed static jump (SJ) and countermovement jumps (CMJ) with 0 and 20kg, and isometric mid-thigh pulls on a force plate. Force-time curve analysis was conducted for each isometric pull and jump to determine force related characteristics. Jump height (JH) was derived from flight time. Isometric forces were normalized using allometric scaling: absolute force/ (body mass(kg)0.67)= IPFa. Results: There was a strong positive correlation between isometric peak force and isometric rate of force development (IRFD). Stronger athletes had smaller decrements in jump height with additional loading. Conclusion: The ability to produce higher peak and instantaneous forces and IRFD is related to JH and smaller differences between weighted and unweighted jumps. A weighted jump may be a practical method of assessing relative strength levels

Relationship between Strength Characteristics and Unweighted and Weighted Vertical Jump Height

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between maximum strength and differences in jump height during weighted and unweighted (body weight) static (SJ) and countermovement jumps (CMJ). Methods: Sixty-three collegiate athletes (mean ± SD; age= 19.9 ± 1.3 y; body mass = 72.9 ± 19.6 kg; height = 172.8 ± 7.7 cm) performed two trials of the SJ and CMJ with 0 kg and 20 kg on a force plate; and two trials of mid-thigh isometric clean pulls in a custom rack over a force plate (1000-Hz sampling). Jump height (JH) was calculated from fight time. Force-time curve analyses determined the following: isometric peak force (IPF), isometric force (IF) at 50, 90, and 250 ms, and isometric rates of force development (IRFD). Absolute and allometric scaled forces, [absolute force/(body mass0.67)], were used in correlations. Results: IPF, IRFD, F50a, F50, F90, and F250 showed moderate/strong correlations with SJ and CMJ height percent decrease from 0 to 20 kg. IPFa and F250a showed weak/moderate correlations with percent height decrease. Comparing strongest (n = 6) to weakest (n = 6): t tests revealed that stronger athletes (IPFa) performed superior to weaker athletes. Conclusion: Data indicate the ability to produce higher peak and instantaneous forces and IRFD is related to JH and to smaller differences between weighted and unweighted jump heights. Stronger athletes jump higher and show smaller decrements in JH with load. A weighted jump may be a practical method of assessing relative strength levels

Relationship Between Isometric Force Characteristics and Peak Power Output in Static and Countermovement Jumps at Various Loading Conditions

Abstract available in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Researc

The Effect of 8 Weeks of Strength-power Training in Collegiate Throwers on Force-time Parameters Generated During a Post-exercise Potentiation Complex

Abstract available in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Researc

Relationship Between Isometric Force Characteristics and the Difference in Jump Height in Weighted and Un-weighted Jumps

Abstract available in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Researc

Isometric and Dynamic Force-time Curve Characteristics of Collegiate Throwers

Abstract available in theJournal of Strength and Conditioning Researc