Immunological mechanisms underlying chronic pelvic pain and prostate inflammation in chronic pelvic pain syndrome

BRESER, MARÍA L.; SALAZAR, FLORENCIA C.; RIVERO, VIGINIA E.; MOTRICH, RUBÉN D.

Frontiers in Immunology

Frontiers Media S.A.

Lugar: Boston; Año: 2017 vol. 8

hronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is the most common urologic morbidity in men younger than 50 years and is characterized by a diverse range of pain and inflammatory symptoms, both in type and severity, that involve the region of the pelvis, perineum, scrotum, rectum, testes, penis, and lower back. In most patients, pain is accompanied by inflammation in the absence of an invading infectious agent. Since CP/CPPS etiology is still not well established, available therapeutic options for patients are far from satisfactory for either physicians or patients. During the past two decades, chronic inflammation has been deeply explored as the cause of CP/CPPS. In this review article, we summarize the current knowledge regarding immunological mechanisms underlying chronic pelvic pain and prostate inflammation in CP/CPPS. Cumulative evidence obtained from both human disease and animal models indicate that several factors may trigger chronic inflammation in the form of aut