Sickle Cell Side Effect — Men with sickle cell disease (SCD) face an increased risk for developing priapism—a prolonged erection in the absence of sexual excitation. This painful condition can lead to permanent tissue damage and impotence if left untreated. There are no drug treatments for treating priapism, in part because the molecular mechanisms that cause it are not completely understood, Dr. Kelvin Davies and colleagues at Einstein have shown that low oxygen levels found in SCD patients may activate small proteins called opiorphins. These proteins then activate other biochemical pathways that increase blood flow to penile tissue, causing priapism. The findings suggest that opiorphins may offer a target for drugs aimed at treating priapism. The research is published in the August 2014 issue of the FASEB Journal. Dr. Davies is professor of urology and of physiology and biophysics.
Posted on: Thursday, June 12, 2014