Resveratrol improves urinary dysfunction in rats with chronic prostatitis and suppresses the activity of the stem cell factor/c-Kit signaling pathway.

ABSTRACT

Chronic prostatitis (CP) is a common urological disorder, with bladder voiding dysfunction being the primary clinical manifestation. Resveratrol is polyphenolic compound isolated from numerous plants, with widely­reported anti-inflammatory properties. The present study aimed to investigate whether resveratrol may improve overactive bladder in rats with CP and to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, the potential pharmacological synergy between resveratrol and solifenacin was also investigated as a potential treatment for CP. Following the successful establishment of a rat model of CP by subcutaneously injecting DPT vaccine, rats were treated with resveratrol or a combination of resveratrol + solifenacin. Bladder pressure and volume tests were performed to investigate the effect of resveratrol and solifenacin on urinary dysfunction in rats with chronic prostatitis. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining were used to examine the expression of c­Kit receptor, stem cell factor (SCF), AKT and phosphorylated­AKT (p­AKT) in the bladder tissue. The results of the bladder pressure and volume test indicated that the maximum capacity of the bladder, residual urine volume and maximum voiding pressure in the control group were 0.57 ml, 0.17 ml and 29.62 cm H2O, respectively. These values were increased by 71, 27 and 206% in rats in the CP group compared with the control group. Following treatment with resveratrol, the results in the resveratrol group were reduced by 25.77, 44.23 and 13.32% compared with the CP group. The results of western blot analysis, immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence labeling demonstrate that the protein expression of SCF, c­Kit and p­AKT in the bladder of rats in the CP group was 4.32, 6.13 and 6.31 times higher compared with the control group, respectively. Following treatment with resveratrol, protein expression was significantly reduced. However, no significant differences were observed between the protein expression of the SCF, c­Kit and p­AKT in the bladder between the resveratrol and combination groups. In conclusion, resveratrol may improve overactive bladder by downregulating the protein expression of SCF, c­Kit and p­AKT in the bladder of rats with CP. Furthermore, a combination of resveratrol and solifenacin may have potential pharmacological synergy as a treatment for patients with CP.