title: Crucial role of interferon-gamma in experimental autoimmune prostatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An autoimmune etiology is proposed in some patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis since they show interferon-gamma secreting lymphocytes specific to prostate antigens in the periphery and increased interferon-gamma in seminal plasma. We investigated the involvement of interferon-gamma in an animal model of autoimmune prostatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental autoimmune prostatitis was studied in the no-obese diabetic and C57Bl/6 (Harlan, Zeist, The Netherlands) susceptible mouse strains, and in the IRF-1 KO and STAT-1 KO mouse strains deficient in transcription factors involved in interferon-gamma signaling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Experimental autoimmune prostatitis was characterized by prostate specific interferon-gamma secreting cells in the periphery and by T-helper 1 related cytokines in the target organ. Increased interferon-gamma and interleukin-12 were observed in the prostate of autoimmune animals while interleukin-10 and interleukin-4 were decreased and unaltered, respectively. The absence of transcription factors involved in the interferon-gamma signaling cascade, IRF-1 and STAT-1, made mice resistant to experimental autoimmune prostatitis. IRF-1 KO and STAT-1 KO mice immunized with prostate antigens did not show infiltration or alterations in the prostate. They did not have the typical prostate specific autoimmune response and showed decreased interferon-gamma, interleukin-12 and interleukin-10, and augmented interleukin-4 in the prostate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results argue for a crucial role of interferon-gamma as a key factor in the pathogenesis of the disease. Intense research is promptly required to identify the pathogenic mechanisms underlying chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome to find a more rational therapy.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ruben Darío
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Motrich
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Etten
authors.forename: Femke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baeke
authors.forename: Clelia Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Riera
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mathieu
authors.forename: Virginia Elena
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Rivero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma