Biochip Cytokine Pattern in Early Prostate Cancer

Gabriella BEKÕ1, A. BLÁZOVICS2, E. BIRÓ1,
I. ROMICS3, P. NYIRÁDY3
1Central Laboratory, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
2Department of Pharmacognosy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
3Department of Urology and Urooncological Centre, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary

Background: Laboratory diagnosis of prostate cancer (CaP) is difficult
in the early stage. It is well documented, serum levels of several
cytokines are increased and IL-2 is decreased in the presence of
metastasis in glands and bones. Our aim was to study the changes
of 9 cytokine and 3 growth factor levels in the early stage of CaP.
Patients and methods: Evidence Biochip Array Analyzer was applied
to quantify serum levels of IL (interleukin)-1 alpha and beta, IL-2, IL-
4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-alpha, interferon-gamma (IFNG), vascular
endothelial growth factor (VEGF), monocyte chemoattractant protein-
1 (MCP-1), and endothelial growth factor (EGF) concentrations in 42
patients with early-stages CaP and 31 healthy, age-matched volunteers.
Levels of the measured markers were correlated with serum
prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and CRP values. Concentrations of IL-
6 and TNF-alpha were compared with traditional ELISA.

Results: Serum levels of cytokines and growth factors were in low
range in early stage of CaP. No difference was found in serum markers
between patients and healthy controls. Serum PSA correlated
with serum IL-6 (r = 0.78) but not with other markers. CRP levels
did not correlate with any of the parameters measured. Results
obtained with the protein chip and ELISA correlated only weakly
(IL-6, r = 0.54, TNF-alpha, r = 0.47) range.

Conclusions: Our results show that measurement of cytokines and
growth factors does not help in the early diagnosis of CaP.
Interestingly, concentrations of IL-4 (p < 0.002), IL-8 (p < 0.014),
IL-10 (p < 0.002), TNF-alpha (p < 0.001) and EGF (p < 0.001)
were lower in older men compared to younger adults.