Extracorporeal shock wave therapy decreases COX‐2 by inhibiting TLR4‐NFκB pathway in a prostatitis rat model

Background This study aims to evaluate the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) and to explore the mechanism. Methods RWPE‐2 cells were randomly divided into three groups: (a) RWPE‐2 group (normal control), (b) LPS groups (lipopolysaccharide inducing inflammation) and (c) ESWT groups (LPS induced RWPE‐2 treated by ESWT). After ESWT was administered, cells and supernatant were collected for enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot analysis. In vivo, Sprague‐Dawley rats (n = 30) were randomly divided into three groups: (a) normal control group, (b) prostatitis groups, and (c) ESWT groups. Prostatitis rats were induced by 17 β‐estradiol and dihydrotestosterone for 4 weeks. After ESWT, prostates of each group were collected for immunohistochemistry, Western blot analysis, and ELISA. Results ESWT improved prostatitis by attenuating inflammation (P