Analysis of the IL-10 mRNA level in the peripheral blood of patients with cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia

Background. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a pleiotropic cytokine with immunomodulatory properties and may inhibit tumor development and progression or stimulate tumor growth.

Aim. Analysis of the changes of the IL-10 mRNA level in the peripheral blood (PB) of patients with prostate cancer (PC) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in comparison with clinical and laboratory data.

Materials and methods. 63 patients with histologically confirmed PC and 52 patients with histologically confirmed BPH were under observation. The control group consisted of 30 practically healthy persons comparable in age. Determination of the relative level of IL-10 mRNA in PB samples was performed by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Results. Both in patients with PC and in patients with BPH, a statistically significant decrease in the level of IL-10 mRNA in the PB of patients was observed in comparison with the control. In PC, the lowest levels were found in patients with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration above 10 ng / l and with a prostate volume of more than 50 cm3. Differences in the level of IL-10 mRNA at T2 and T3 stages and at different testosterone concentrations were not statistically significant, although there was a pronounced downward trend in prognostically unfavorable cases. Patients with BPH had a relative level of IL-10 mRNA, which was statistically significantly higher than in patients with PC. At PSA concentrations above 10 ng / mL, the level of IL-10 mRNA was also lower than at its lower concentrations.

Conclusion. In patients with cancer and BPH, a reduced level of IL-10 mRNA was found in the PB. The decrease is more pronounced in the unfavorable course of diseases and, apparently, is a consequence of the instability of IL-10 mRNA at the post-transcriptional level.

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