Advances in stem cell therapy for erectile dysfunction

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Stem cell (SC) application is a promising area of research in regenerative medicine, with the potential to treat, prevent, and cure disease. In recent years, the number of studies focusing on SCs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) and other sexual dysfunctions has increased significantly.

Areas covered: This review includes critical ED targets and preclinical studies, including the use of SCs and animal models in diabetes, aging, cavernous nerve injury, and Peyronie’s disease. A literature search was performed on PubMed for English articles.

Expert opinion: Combination treatment offers better results than monotherapy to improve pathological changes in diabetic ED. Regenerative medicine is a promising approach for the maintenance of sexual health and erectile function later in life. Cavernous nerve regeneration and vascular recovery employing SC treatment may be focused on radical prostatectomy-induced ED. Notwithstanding, there are a number of hurdles to overcome before SC-based therapies for ED are considered in clinical settings. Paracrine action, not cellular differentiation, appears to be the principal mechanism of action underlying SC treatment of ED. Intracavernosal injection of a single SC type should be the choice protocol for future clinical trials.

KEYWORDS:

• Erectile dysfunction
• stem cell
• cavernous nerve injury
• diabetic rat
• aging

Article highlights

• Regenerative medicine is a hopeful approach for the preservation of sexual health and erectile function later in life.

• The number of preclinical studies focusing on SCs for the management of ED has been meaningfully augmented in recent years.

• Critical ED targets and preclinical studies included the use of SC and animal models of diabetes, aging, cavernous nerve injury, and Peyronie’s disease.

• Combination therapy offers better results than monotherapy to improve pathological changes in diabetic ED.

• Nonetheless, for the general use of SCs for clinical applications, high-quality evidence is still lacking and the need for standardized methodology is necessary.

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This article is not funded.