Altered small non-coding RNA expression profiles of extracellular vesicles in prostatic fluid of patients with chronic pelvic pain syndrome

Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) and chronic prostatitis (CP) is difficult to distinguish from each other, herein termed CP/CPPS. This study aimed at gaining further insight into the change of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in prostatic fluid of male CPPS. From December 2019 to November 2020, after clinical screening, 24 patients with CPPS without obvious urinary symptoms and 13 healthy male participants were included. EVs were isolated from expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) of all subjects. The small non-coding ribonucleic acid (sncRNA) expression of EVs was sequenced, analysed, and validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays. The results showed that plenty of sncRNAs were differentially expressed between the patients and healthy participants. Further qRT–PCR assays validated that several chronic pain-related miRNAs, including miR-204-5p, let-7d-3p, let-7b-3p, let-7c-3p, miR-146a-5p, and miR-320a-5p, were differentially expressed. Series sncRNAs including several chronic pain-related miRNAs were altered in EVs in prostatic fluid of patients with CPPS, which may serve as diagnostic markers for CPPS. Overall design: Extracellular vesicles were isolated from expressed prostatic secretion of CPPS patients and healthy men. The small non-coding ribonucleic acid (sncRNA) expression of EVs was sequenced.