Premium
A molecular analysis of prokaryotic and viral DNA sequences in prostate tissue from patients with prostate cancer indicates the presence of multiple and diverse microorganisms
Author(s) -
Sfanos Karen S.,
Sauvageot Jurga,
Fedor Helen L.,
Dick James D.,
De Marzo Angelo M.,
Isaacs William B.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the prostate
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.295
H-Index - 123
eISSN - 1097-0045
pISSN - 0270-4137
DOI - 10.1002/pros.20680
Subject(s) - prostate , prostate cancer , biology , polymerase chain reaction , prostatitis , trichomonas vaginalis , propionibacterium acnes , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , pathology , virology , inflammation , virus , chlamydia , cancer , immunology , gene , medicine , genetics
BACKGROUND Inflammation, both acute and chronic, is a common feature of prostate histology. While inflammation has been proposed to play an important role in both benign and malignant growth of the prostate, the stimuli for this inflammation remain poorly characterized. Infectious pathogens are potential stimuli for prostatic inflammation. METHODS Universal eubacterial PCR was used to test 170 prostate tissue core samples from 30 cancer patients for 16S rDNA gene sequences. Positive PCR products (n = 64, 37%) were cloned and sequenced. For comparison, tissue samples from 30 patients were cultured using standard clinical microbiological techniques. DNA samples from 200 additional patients were tested by organism‐specific PCR for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis , Propionibacterium acnes , Trichomonas vaginalis , BK virus, Epstein–Barr virus, human cytomegalovirus, human papillomavirus, and xenotropic murine leukemia‐related virus. RESULTS 16S sequencing results indicated the presence of 83 distinct microorganisms. Microbiological culture isolated markedly fewer species. In general, organism‐specific PCR failed to detect multiple organisms previously reported as common in the prostate. There was no significant association between the presence of particular species of bacteria and histologic evidence of acute or chronic inflammation. CONCLUSIONS Most prostates from men undergoing prostatectomy (87%) contain bacterial DNA from one or more species. However, the majority of individual tissue core samples were negative, suggesting regional heterogeneity in the presence of bacteria and a lack of a generalized or ubiquitous prostatic flora. Culture results suggest either the “unculturable” nature of species present in the prostate or that 16S rDNA sequences were derived from non‐viable bacteria. Prostate 68: 306–320, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.