Prostate specific antigen (PSA) has a wide clinical use for the early detection of prostatic carcinoma (PCa); however, it has never been a perfect marker due to its low specificity and low positive predictive value which ranges between 4 ng/ml and 10 ng/ml. The discovery of different PSA molecular forms in serum in the early 1990s brought insight into searching for more specific markers. Since then free PSA (fPSA) has been used routinely to increase the specificity for PCa and to reduce unnecessary biopsies. More recently, promising data is emerging regarding one proenzyme molecular form of free PSA, proPSA, and a few truncated proPSA isoforms. The purpose of this article is to review the recent studies on clinical utility of proPSA, especially [−2]pPSA, an isoform of proPSA, and parameters involving [−2]pPSA as well as other PSA derivatives in early detection of PCa.
Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism

Animals ; Male ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; analysis ; metabolism ; Prostatectomy ; adverse effects ; standards ; Specimen Handling ; methods ; standards

Humans ; Male ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; metabolism ; radiotherapy ; surgery

Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; analysis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the correlation of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) expression with Gleason score of prostate carcinoma.

METHODSMonoclonal antibodies against epitopes of PSMA extracellular domain were prepared, with which the expression of PSMA of prostate carcinoma (PC) was determined by immunohistochemical staining. Correlation of its expression with Gleason score of PC was statistically analyzed, and compared with that of PSA.

RESULTSEight hybridoma cell lines secreting monoclonal antibodies specific for PSMA were prepared. PSMA expression level was positively correlated with Gleason score. In poorly differentiated prostate carcinoma, the expression intensity of PSMA was higher than that of medium-and well-differentiated prostate carcinoma (P < 0.01). However, there was no correlation between level of PSA expression and Gleason score (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPSMA expression level may be used as a useful surrogate marker in Gleason grading of prostate carcinoma. It may be a more suitable target than PSA in antibody mediated immunotherapy against poorly differentiated prostate carcinoma which is usually not sensitive to hormonal therapy.

Antigens, Surface ; metabolism ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Polyamines are non-specific marker of cellular proliferation in many malignant tumors, and it is also increase in certain benign conditions. We measured the urinary polyamines to investigate the possibility as a marker of abnormal prostate growth and the correlation with various clinical parameters. Urinary polyamine concentrations in 27 cases of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were compared with those in 32 cases of age matched normal controls. Urinary concentration of polyamine profiles were quantitatively determined by Gas Chromatography/Nitrogen Phosphorus Detector and they were calculated by the correction of gram creatinine. The concentrations of N-acetyl putrescine, N-acetyl cadaverine, spermidine(spd), N1-acetyl spermidine, N8-acetyl spermidine, and spermine(spm) showed significant increase in BPH compared with normal control(all p<0.05). Level of serum prostate specific antigen(PSA) in BPH patients was negatively correlated with the concentration of urinary spermidine(p=0.049). And the ratio of spm/spd correlated with the level of prostate volume(p=0.046). No significant correlations was found between other clinical parameters such as age, level of hemoglobin or erythrocyte count with polyamine profiles concentration. These data suggested that urinary concentration of polyamines in BPH are elevated compared with those in normal control. Altered regulation of the biosynthesis and metabolism of spermidine and spermine may be involved in BPH.
Cadaverine ; Cell Proliferation ; Creatinine ; Erythrocyte Count ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Phosphorus ; Polyamines ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Putrescine ; Spermidine ; Spermine

PURPOSE: Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is a well-known gene involved in alcohol and aldehyde metabolism. Moreover, recent studies have reported associations between ALDH2 and age-related disorders. Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is an age-related disorder and genetic factors may contribute to its onset. In this study, we investigated the association of a well-studied ALDH2 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs671, with the onset and clinical features of BPH. METHODS: A total of 222 BPH patients and 214 control subjects were genotyped. The clinical features of the BPH patients (prostate volume, prostate-specific antigen level, and International Prostatic Symptom Score) were analyzed. RESULTS: The results show that rs671 was only associated with the volume of BPH in genotype and allele frequencies (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: We propose that rs671 is an Asian-specific SNP in ALDH2 that may affect the disease progression of BPH in the Korean population.
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase ; Disease Progression ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Metabolism ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide* ; Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Hyperplasia

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation between the content of lecithin mass and white blood cells (WBC) of the expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) and the concentration of serum PSA in patients with prostatitis, and to study the difference in serum PSA concentration between patients with bacterial prostatitis and those with nonbacterial prostatitis.

METHODSThe serum PSA concentration in 62 patients with prostatitis and 22 controls were measured with ELISA method. The correlation between the content of lecithin mass and WBC of the EPS and the elevation of serum PSA was analyzed. And the serum PSA concentration of bacterial prostatitis (9 patients) and that of nonbacterial inflammatory prostatitis (53 patients) were compared.

RESULTSThe mean concentrations of serum PSA in the prostatitis and the control groups were (1.79 +/- 0.68) microg/L and (0.63 +/- 0.29) microg/L, respectively. The difference of the serum PSA concentration was significant between the prostatitis and the control groups (P < 0.001) as well as between the groups with higher and lower WBC contents in EPS (P < 0.05), but not between the groups with higher (27 patients) and lower (35 patients) lecithin mass contents in EPS (P > 0.05), nor between the groups of bacterial prostatitis and nonbacterial prostatitis (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONProstatitis may cause the elevation of serum PSA concentration. The elevated serum PSA correlates with the content of white blood cells in EPS, but not with the content of lecithin mass in EPS, nor with the type of prostatitis, either bacterial or nonbacterial.

Adult ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phosphatidylcholines ; analysis ; Prostate ; secretion ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatitis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of the Trp-p8 protein in the prostate tissue of the PSA "grey zone" with different PSA density of the transition zone (PSADTZ) and explore the value of determining Trp-p8 expression and PSADTZ in the early diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa).

METHODSThis study involved 30 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and another 30 cases of PCa with different PSADTZ values. Using a data imaging and analysis system, we determined the expression levels of Trp-p8 in BPH and PCa tissues and analyzed their correlation with PSADTZ.

RESULTSThe expression of Trp-p8 was weak or negative in the BPH but strong in the PCa tissue and even stronger in the PCa tissue with high PSADTZ (F = 34. 05, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe Trp-p8 protein is expressed differently in BPH and PCa tissues of the PSA " grey zone" and its expression is positively correlated with PSADTZ. Determination of the Trp-p8 expression and PSADTZ contributes to the early diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Early Detection of Cancer ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate ; metabolism ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; metabolism ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; TRPM Cation Channels ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation of histologically proven prostatitis with the level of prostate specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume, PSA density (PSAD), international prostate symptom score (IPSS), maximum flow rate (Qmax) and post-void residual volume (PVR) in men with symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).

METHODSTotally 673 patients surgically treated for BPH were divided into Groups A and B in accordance with histological findings, the former including those with histological prostatitis, and the latter without it. Comparisons were made between the two groups in the PSA level, prostate volume, PSAD, IPSS, Qmax and PVR.

RESULTSThe PSA level, prostate volume, IPSS and PVR were significantly higher in Group A ([5.64 +/- 2.48] microg/L, [43.66 +/- 13.11] ml, 24.72 +/- 5.39 and [124.90 +/- 49.80] ml) than in B ([4.97 +/- 1.99] microg/L, [40.41 +/- 11.44] ml, 23.40 +/- 6.21 and [112.73 +/- 50.03] ml) (P<0.05), while Qmax markedly lower in the former ([6.94 +/- 3.23] ml/s) than in the latter ([7.75 +/- 3.52] ml/s) (P<0.05), but PSAD showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups (0.129 +/- 0.048 vs 0.123 +/- 0.034, P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONHistological prostatitis can significantly increase the PSA level, prostate volume, IPSS and PVR, and reduce the Qmax of the patient, but is not correlated with PSAD. It is an important factor influencing the clinical progression of BPH.

Aged ; Humans ; Male ; Organ Size ; Prostate ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; metabolism ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; metabolism ; pathology ; urine ; Prostatitis ; metabolism ; pathology ; urine