Dual deficiency of melatonin and dihydrotestosterone promotes stromal cell damage and mediates prostatitis via the...

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Immunology
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Prostatitis is a common condition impacting men's health.
• Epidemiological studies suggest a link between insufficient sleep and prostatitis.
• The exact mechanisms driving prostatitis development remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the underlying mechanisms of prostatitis caused by sleep deprivation.
• To identify potential therapeutic targets for prostatitis.

Main Methods:

• A mouse model of sleep deprivation was established.
• Prostatitis was assessed using pathological and behavioral methods.
• Immunofluorescence, western blot, and proteomic analyses were employed to explore the mechanism.

Main Results:

• Sleep deprivation reduced dihydrotestosterone and melatonin levels.
• The cGAS-STING pathway was identified as a key player in prostatitis development.
• Reduced hormone levels led to reactive oxygen species and mt-DNA release, activating the cGAS-STING pathway and promoting inflammation.

Conclusions:

• The cGAS-STING pathway, activated by deficiencies in dihydrotestosterone and melatonin, drives inflammation in sleep deprivation-related prostatitis.
• This study provides insights into prostatitis pathogenesis, therapeutic targets, and prevention.
• Prostatitis shows a tendency to relapse after repeated sleep deprivation.