SM2+/– male mice are predisposed to develop urinary tract obstruction and hyper contractility of the bladder smooth muscle upon ageing

We previously showed that complete loss of smooth muscle myosin heavy chain isoform 2 (SM2) resulted in postnatal lethality, but in het mice a partial loss of SM2 (SM2+/–) was accompanied by down-regulation of SM1 with unaltered SM2:SM1 ratio. To determine whether a normal bladder function would be maintained throughout its lifespan, we aged WT and SM2+/– mice up to 18 months and analyzed a) SM2:SM1 ratio b) bladder smooth muscle structure and c) function in SM2+/– het mice. A notable finding was that ~50% of 15–18 months old male SM2+/– mice exhibited urinary retention in bladder with the distention of upper urethra. In SM2+/– mouse bladder with urinary retention, the SM2:SM1 ratio was decreased but not in SM2+/– mouse bladder that did not develop urinary retention. Interestingly in the distended bladder the expression levels of α-actin and tropomyosin remained unaltered despite a reduction in the number of myosin thick filaments. These distended bladders showed hypersensitivity to submaximal K+ depolarization and M3-receptor stimulation, without a significant increase in myosin light chain phosphorylation. We therefore suggest that a partial loss of SM2 may predispose male mice to develop lower urinary tract obstruction during ageing. In addition our data suggest that bladder obstruction can cause a further reduction in SM2 expression and SM2:SM1 ratio, and a hyper-contractility of the bladder smooth muscle.