STROMAL HYPERPLASIA IN MALE BLADDERS UPON LOSS OF TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-β SIGNALING IN FIBROBLASTS

A sex disparity was observed in the Tgfbr2fspko mouse model lacking TGF-β signaling in fibroblasts. Deletion of TGF-β in males leads to a hypertrophied lamina propria and muscularis externa with myofibroblast differentiation and proliferation. Female homozygous Tgfbr2fspko bladders appeared the same as those of wild-type male and female controls. This model suggests a role for stromal TGF-β signaling with estrogens and androgens in bladder fibrosis.