effect of prostate tissue inflammation in benign prostatic hyperplasia on enhancer of zeste homolog 2 ribonucleic acid expression

ABSTRACT

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 [EZH2] has been recently found to regulate several genes involved in immunoresponse and autocrine inflammation network. The aim of the study was to quantitate EZH2 messenger ribonucleic acid [mRNA] expression, evaluate its relation to conditions of prostatitis associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH], and correlate it with the levels of the inflammatory marker interlukin 6 [IL-6]. Cross-sectional study in Middle Eastern men with BPH and prostatitis or BPH only. Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies were collected from 106 patients suspected of having prostate cancer; however, the histology revealed BPH. Upon further pathological examination, 56 of these cases were identified as BPH with prostatitis and classified as acute prostatitis [n=13]; active chronic prostatitis [n=32]; and, chronic inactive prostatitis [n=12]. Serum IL-6 levels and EZH2 mRNA expression were measured and compared between patient groups. EZH2 mRNA was overexpressed in BPH with prostatitis patients compared to BPH only patients [P<.0001]. BPH with active chronic prostatitis had higher EZH2 expression than BPH with acute or chronic inactive prostatitis compared to BPH only [P=.05 and .73, respectively]. EZH2 mRNA expression showed a negative correlation with IL-6 concentrations in BPH with prostatitis patients [rs=-0.31, P=.02]. EZH2 overexpression was associated with an increased risk of having BPH with prostatitis [crude odds ratio 0.20, 95% CI 0.06-0.65, P=.0076]. EZH2 mRNA expression correlates positively with prostatitis conditions associated with BPH and negatively with serum IL-6 levels. This supports the possible involvement of EZH2 mRNA overexpression in the development of prostate inflammation, and its new regulatory role in suppressing the expression of some inflammatory network genes