[Mechanism of Jingangteng Capsules in ameliorating chronic nonbacterial prostatitis based on gut microbiota and metabolomics].

Jingangteng Capsules ameliorated pathological injury of prostate tissue in experimental autoimmune prostatitis rats.

• Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe pathological changes in prostate tissue
• JGTCs enhanced the density of lecithin bodies in prostate tissue homogenates
• JGTCs reduced the number of white blood cells in prostate tissue homogenates
• The study used an experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) rat model

Jingangteng Capsules decreased levels of multiple pro-inflammatory factors and increased anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 in serum.

• Pro-inflammatory factors reduced included TNF-α, iNOS, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-2
• The anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 was increased by JGTC treatment
• Inflammatory factor levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
• Biochemical analysis also detected SOD and MDA levels in serum as oxidative stress markers

Jingangteng Capsules modulated the structure of intestinal microbiota in EAP rats.

• 16S rDNA sequencing was applied to explore effects on intestinal microbiota
• JGTCs increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium animalis
• JGTCs decreased the relative abundance of unclassified_f_Prevotellaceae and Veillonella
• These changes indicate a modulation of gut microbiota dysbiosis associated with CNP

Jingangteng Capsules altered the content of 10 metabolites and affected five metabolic pathways.

• Non-targeted metabolomics was used to identify metabolic changes
• Altered metabolites included sphingosine and retinoyl β-glucuronide among 10 total identified metabolites
• Five metabolic pathways were implicated, including sphingolipid metabolism and retinol metabolism
• These metabolic alterations were predicted to contribute to the mechanism of CNP amelioration

Jingangteng Capsules inhibited the SPHK1/S1P1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EAP rats.

• Western blot was used to validate effects on the signaling pathway
• JGTCs inhibited the expressions of sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) and sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1)
• JGTCs inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt
• Inhibition of this pathway is proposed as a key mechanism by which JGTCs alleviate prostate inflammation