Alcohol Intake-Induced Aggravation of Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome is Associated with Reduced Gut Microbiota-Driven Short-Chain Fatty Acid Propionate and Butyrate.

Abstract

Purpose: Chronic prostatitis (CP) is a common urological disease and about 8.4% to 13.5% of men suffer from prostatitis symptoms in China. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of alcohol usage on patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) and the role of the gut microbiome in this course.

Materials and methods: A total of 151 individuals were recruited when they were diagnosed with CP/CPPS. Eventually, 38 patients were enrolled and grouped into three groups: the CP/CPPS group, alcohol group, and quitter group. 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid sequencing was used to investigate the fecal samples, and a liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer was used to analyze untargeted metabolomics. Next, targeted identification of short-chain fatty acids was carried out. T helper 17 (Th17) cells and cytokines were measured by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Furthermore, the associations among intestinal microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, and clinical symptoms were evaluated through correlation analysis.

Results: Alcohol consumption results in different microbial composition in patients with CP. Higher symptom scores, Th17 cell percentages and interleukin-17 concentrations were observed in the alcohol group. Notably, correlation analysis revealed that several gut microbes were correlated with propionate and butyrate contents and patient's symptoms. Contrarily, lower symptom scores, Th17 cell percentages and interleukin-17 concentrations were observed in the quitter group.

Conclusions: This study preliminarily explores the potential association between alcohol and CP/CPPS, in which short-chain fatty acid-producing gut flora may play a key role. This study may enhance the understanding of the effect of alcohol on CP/CPPS and provide a preliminary foundation for formulating prevention strategies. The main limitation of this study is the small sample size, and further large-scale plus in-depth research ought to be carried out in the future.