Bladder function in 17β-estradiol-induced nonbacterial prostatitis model in Wistar rat.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate bladder function in a model of nonbacterial prostatitis (NBP) induced in castrated rats by 17β-estradiol injection.

METHODS

Ten-month-old male Wistar rats were divided into two groups, sham and NBP (both N = 8). NBP was induced by castration followed by daily subcutaneous injection of 17β-estradiol for 30 days. On the 31st day after surgery, we investigated (1) voiding behavior, (2) bladder blood flow (BBF), (3) prostate and bladder weight, and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and CXCL1) levels and (4) bladder contractile responses to electrical field stimulation (EFS), carbachol and KCl.

RESULTS

(1) Voiding behavior (average micturition volume, total urine volume and number of micturitions) and (2) BBF were not significantly different between the sham and NBP groups. (3) NBP led to a significant decrease in prostatic weight and increase in proinflammatory cytokine levels in the prostate, but NBP did not cause a significant change in bladder weight or proinflammatory cytokine levels in the bladder. (4) Bladder contractile forces in response to EFS, carbachol and KCl were not significantly affected by NBP.

CONCLUSIONS

In this rat model, NBP did not cause a significant change in the level of proinflammatory cytokines in the bladder and affect bladder function.