Electric Stimulation Hyperthermia Relieves Inflammation via the Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3-Toll Like Receptor 4 Pathway in a Prostatitis Rat Model

Chronic prostatitis (CP), including chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), is the most commonly encountered manifestation of prostatitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of electric stimulation hyperthermia treatment (ESHT) on CP/CPPS and to explore the underlying mechanism. RWPE-2 cells with lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation and a prostatitis rat model induced by 17β-estradiol and dihydrotestosterone underwent sham, electric stimulation, or ESHT treatment. Four weeks later, cells, supernatants, and rat prostates were collected for analysis using immunohistochemistry, Western blots, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. We found that ESHT improved prostatitis and attenuated inflammation . ESHT significantly induced suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expression and subsequently promoted HSP70. It attenuated inflammation through decreased expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), nuclear factor kappa B, and subsequent inflammatory cytokines. ESHT also inhibited apoptosis and released growth factor in tissue affected by prostatitis. ESHT improved CP/CPPS and reversed pathologic changes of prostatitis by inhibiting the SOCS3-TLR4 pathway.