title: Inflammation and endothelial activation in benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Emerging insights underline a link among chronic inflammation and endothelial activation with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa). We aim to investigate whether specific plasma markers of inflammation and endothelial activation allow to discriminate BPH and PCa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients affected by BPH, 15 by PCa and 15 controls, were enrolled. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), CD40 ligand (CD40L), endothelial-selectin (E-selectin), platelet-selectin (P-selectin), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In systemic blood samples, IL-6 has been found increased in patients affected by BPH (4.25 ± 0. pg/mL) and PCa (5.08 ± 0.24) respect to controls (2.62 ± 0.34; p < 0.05). CD40L was higher in BPH (4.25 ± 0.65 ng/mL; p < 0.05) than in control (2.31 ± 0.20) and PCa group (2.60 ± 0.56). E-selectin, P-selectin and VCAM-1 did not show any significant difference. Higher levels of ICAM-1 were detected in patients with PCa (573.04 ± 52.23) and BPH (564.40 ± 74.67) than in the controls (215.30 ± 11.53 ng/mL; p < 0.05). In local blood samples, IL-6 has been found significantly increased in PCa in comparison with patients with BPH; there was no difference in CD40L, E-selectin, P-selectin, VCAM-1 ed ICAM-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changes in inflammation and endothelial activation markers may be not considered to be of value in discriminating BPH and PCa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, Italy. giannapace@gmail.com
authors.forename: Gianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pace
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Massimo
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Amicis
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vicentini
authors.forename: M Giuliana Tozzi
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ciancarelli
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000097:blood; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D015850:Interleukin-6; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D023201:CD40 Ligand