Antiproliferative factor, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor, and epidermal growth factor in men with interstitial cystitis versus chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) have urine markers previously described for patients with interstitial cystitis (IC; presence of antiproliferative factor [APF] activity, decreased levels of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor [HB-EGF], and increased levels of epidermal growth factor).


METHODS
Clean catch urine specimens were collected from 41 symptomatic patients with CP/CPPS, 36 asymptomatic men without bladder disease who served as the control group, and 24 men with IC. APF activity was determined by (3)H-thymidine incorporation into primary normal adult human bladder epithelial cells. HB-EGF and epidermal growth factor levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
Men with CP/CPPS did not differ significantly from asymptomatic controls for any of the three markers tested (P >0.49). In contrast, APF activity was present significantly more often and HB-EGF levels were significantly lower in the urine specimens from men with IC than in the specimens from controls or patients with CP/CPPS (P <0.00001 for all four comparisons). Although the epidermal growth factor levels also tended to be higher in the urine from patients with IC than in the urine from controls, the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.06).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that at least two of the urine biomarkers previously identified in women with IC (presence of APF activity and decreased levels of HB-EGF) are also found in men with IC, but not in men with CP/CPPS. This finding suggests that IC and CP/CPPS may be two different disorders with distinct pathophysiologies. It also confirms the utility of the presence of APF activity and HB-EGF levels as markers for IC in men, as well as in women, with this disorder.
Keay
Susan
S
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Zhang
Chen-Ou
CO
Chai
Toby
T
Warren
John
J
Koch
Kristopher
K
Grkovic
David
D
Colville
Heidi
H
Alexander
Richard
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018856:Cystitis, Interstitial / Q000652:urine*; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000652:urine*; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000652:urine*; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000652:urine*; D019459:Urothelium / Q000737:chemistry
D015415:Biomarkers; D006131:Growth Inhibitors; C587883:HBEGF protein, human; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor