Prostatic Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 (MCP-1): A Novel Potential Biomarker for Symptomatic Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) is differentially expressed in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and is a potential clinical biomarker for BPH. We collected urine post-digital rectal examination (DRE) from 48 men who did not have a diagnosis of prostate cancer. We measured MCP-1 levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and compared them with prostate weight and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) as measured by the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) utilizing correlation and regression analyses. In post-DRE urine, higher MCP-1 levels were associated with increased I-PSS but not with prostate volume. MCP-1 levels in men with prostate enlargement were significantly higher than those in men without enlargement. In multivariable regression adjusting for age, prostate volume, and PSA,higher urinary MCP-1 was associated with significantly higher I-PSS. Since MCP-1 is preferentially expressed in BPH tissue, these data suggest that MCP-1 may be a novel biomarker for clinically significant BPH.