Combined estrogen and ghrelin administration restores number of blood vessels and collagen type I/III ratio in the urethral and anal canal submucosa of old ovariectomized rats

We compare the effects of estrogen and/or ghrelin on vascular counts and collagen I/III ratio of urethral and anal canal submucosa in old vs young-adult ovariectomized rats. Ovariectomized Fisher 344 rats (18 and 3 months old, n = 24 × 2) received 42 daily intraperitoneal 17-ß estradiol (10 μg/kg), ghrelin (2 μg/kg), both, or vehicle (n = 6 × 4 per group). Blood vessel counts and collagen I/III ratio were measured, respectively, by light microscopy and Western blot analysis with immunohistochemistry of ghrelin receptors. Estrogen significantly increased urethral and anal vascular counts and collagen I/III ratio in young-adult rats. In old rats, only combined estrogen/ghrelin administration significantly increased both variables. This was not observed with estrogen or ghrelin separately. Ghrelin receptors were immunostained in urethral and anal submucosa of all samples. Combined estrogen/ghrelin administration restored postovariectomy urethral and anal canal submucosal vessel number and collagen I/III ratio in old rats suggesting independent ageing effect.