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Introduction
Chronic prostatitis (CP) is a common disease in urology, and voiding dysfunction is the primary clinical manifestation of CP (1), which affects the quality of life of patients with CP. Urinary tract obstruction was previously reported in patients with CP upon urodynamic examination (2). Prostate fibrosis is a contributing factor to lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS) etiology (3).
Tissue fibrosis is reported to be associated with tissue damage caused by various factors, including aging (4), infection (5), tumors (6) and additional secondary diseases in various organs, which leads to dysfunction. The mechanism of fibrosis involves the accumulation of myofibroblasts, collagen deposition, remodeling of the extracellular matrix and elevated tissue rigidity. High levels of collagen in tissue leads to organ dysfunction as tissue elasticity and compliance are reduced (4,5). However, the role of fibrosis in the development of CP is poorly understood. Therefore, the present study investigated whether CP with urinary dysfunction was associated with collagen accumulation in the prostate.
Mast cells (MCs) are important effector cells in tissue fibrosis (7,8). MC activation and degranulation leads to the release of inflammatory and profibrotic mediators, which promotes tissue fibrosis. MCs express serine proteases, tryptase and chymase, which are associated with fibrosis in certain diseases (9,10). However, the involvement of these proteases in CP is poorly understood. Therefore, the role of tryptase and chymase in the pathogenesis of CP was investigated in the present study. The pleiotropic cytokine, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), serves numerous physiological roles in vivo, including the initiation and control of fibrosis (11). The profibrotic effects of MCs are closely associated with TGF-β (12). Experimental studies have associated increased MC numbers and staining intensity with increased TGF-β production and interstitial fibrosis (12,13). The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway has a vital role in TGF-β-induced fibrosis (14). Therefore, the potential role of the Wnt/β-catenin/TGF-β signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of CP was also determined in the present study.
Resveratrol (15) (trans-3,4,5-trihydroxy stilbene) is present in various plants and foods, including Cassia, pine trees, grapes, wine, mulberry and peanuts. Resveratrol was originally used as a phytoalexin (16), and the reliable and extensive anti-inflammatory effects of resveratrol gained the attention of researchers (17). Resveratrol treatment represses and reverses prostate fibroblast to myofibroblast phenoconversion in vitro (18)....