Objective To study the distribution of alphal-adrenoceptor (α1-AR ) subtype in prostate, posterior urethra and bladder detrusor of patients with chronic prostatitis (CP) . Methods The prostate specimens were collected at autopsy from 30 organ donors (aged 20 -35 years old) dying of nonprostatic diseases. The pathological specimens of prostate peripheral zone were examined. The method of real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR ) was employed for quantification of α1a-AR and α1b-AR subtype expression in prostate transition zone and its surrounding zone,posterior urethra and bladder detrusor tissue. Results Among all donors, there were 24 cases with pathological inflammation in prostatic peripheral zone and 6 with pathological non-inflammation. The mRNA expression of α1-AR subtypes in bladder detrusor and posterior urethra was significantly higher in the inflammation group than in the control group (P ＜0.05). While the mRNA expression of α1-AR subtypes in the bladder detrusor and posterior urethra was significantly lower in the inflammation group than in the control group( P ＜ 0.05 ). Conclusion An abnormal expression of α1 -AR subtypes in bladder detrusor and posterior urethra may explain various urodynamic changes in CP and lead to the occurrence and development of CP in prostate, posterior urethra and bladder detmsor.