Hypertension is positively associated with prostate cancer development in the TRAP transgenic rat model

Prevalence and Factors Associated with High Concentration of Prostate-Specific Antigen: ELSIA Study

Simple Summary

Screening for prostate cancer is critical to increasing men’s longevity, and prostate-specific antigen is the primary method of screening for this cancer. Assessing the prevalence and factors associated with high concentrations of this antigen is essential and this was the objective of our study. We found associations between high concentrations of prostate-specific antigen with years of study, race/ethnicity and family arrangement, health perception, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, metabolic diseases, alcohol consumption and sedentary behavior. These findings may guide public health policies in order to create guidelines that raise awareness to reduce risk behaviors that increase the concentrations of prostate-specific antigen.

Abstract

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer among men, behind only non-melanoma skin cancer, and the main method of screening for PC is the prostate-specific antigen (PSA). To analyze the prevalence and the factors associated with high concentration of PSA in the elderly is essential to understand this outcome, and building strategies to decrease their rates of morbidity and mortality. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study with 96 elderly men. A high level of PSA was defined by >4.0 ng/mL. In order to identify sociodemographic, health, functional and behavioral variables, which may be associated with high levels of PSA, we carried out a multivariate analysis using Poisson regression. Results: The prevalence of high levels of PSA was 21.9% (n = 21). High levels of PSA was associated with years of study, race/ethnicity and family arrangement, health perception, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, metabolic diseases, alcohol consumption and sedentary behavior. Conclusions: The study found a high prevalence of high PSA concentrations in the elderly and several aspects are associated, which can be a worrying factor for their health, since PSA is an important marker of prostate cancer.

Effect of hypertension on bacteria composition of prostate biopsy in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer in PSA grey-zone

Diagnostic prostate cancer (PC) is difficult to diagnose by prostate biopsy, even in patients with markedly elevated PSA levels. Therefore, we aimed to identify a new, better technique to detect PC in a more consistent manner. A variety of steps were employed to validate this proposed method, including DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and DGGE band sequencing. Four transperineal prostate biopsy specimens were obtained from male patients. The patients were under the age of 65 and PSA levels were 4-10 ng/ml. We also investigated the bacteria composition of transperineal prostate biopsy in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and PC by PCR-DGGE profiling. Sequences from selected bands 2 and 4 both matched with Sphingomonas, which is present in lower amounts in PC without hypertension as compared to PC with hypertension, while there were no particular differences in the BPH group. Specific bacteria from the prostate biopsy tissues provide further confidence in PC diagnosis based on a PCR approach as a diagnostic tool, while hypertension was found to be a disturbing factor that can affect the diagnosis of BPH and PC in grey-zone.

Purple corn color inhibition of prostate carcinogenesis by targeting cell growth pathways

Purple corn color is a widely used food colorant that was reported to have attenuating effects on hypertension, diabetes, and to have anti-cancer effects on colon and breast cancer. Our study is the first on its possible chemoprevention effects against prostate cancer. For this purpose an androgen-dependent prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP, was used to examine effects in vitro. Purple corn color inhibited the proliferation of LNCaP cells by decreasing the expression of Cyclin D1 and inhibiting the G1 stage of the cell cycle. Thirty-six male transgenic rats for adenocarcinoma of prostate were fed basic diet or diet with purple corn color for 8 weeks. Purple corn color decreased the incidence of adenocarcinoma in the lateral prostate and slowed down the progression of prostate cancer. A lower Ki67 positive rate, a decrease of the expression of Cyclin D1, and downregulation of the activation of Erk1/2 and p38 MAPK were observed in the group consuming purple corn color in the diet. Since purple corn color is a mixture, determining its active component should help in the understanding and usage of purple corn color for prostate cancer chemoprevention. Therefore, the three major anthocyanins in purple corn color, cyanidin-3-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-glucoside and peonidin-3-glucoside, were tested with LNCaP cells. The results suggested that cyanidin-3-glucoside and pelargonidin-3-glucoside are the active compounds.