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. 2016 Jun 9:11:26.
doi: 10.1186/s13027-016-0074-9. eCollection 2016.

Frequency and typing of Propionibacterium acnes in prostate tissue obtained from men with and without prostate cancer

Sabina Davidsson  1 , Paula Mölling  2 , Jennifer R Rider  3 , Magnus Unemo  2 , Mats G Karlsson  4 , Jessica Carlsson  5 , Swen-Olof Andersson  5 , Fredrik Elgh  6 , Bo Söderquis  7 , Ove Andrén  5
Affiliations

Frequency and typing of Propionibacterium acnes in prostate tissue obtained from men with and without prostate cancer

Sabina Davidsson et al. Infect Agent Cancer. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Background: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in Western countries but the exact pathogenic mechanism of the disease is still largely unknown. An infectious etiology and infection-induced inflammation has been suggested to play a role in prostate carcinogenesis and Propionibacterium acnes has been reported as the most prevalent microorganism in prostatic tissue. We investigated the frequency and types of P. acnes isolated from prostate tissue samples from men with prostate cancer and from control patients without the disease.

Methods: We included 100 cases and 50 controls in this study. Cases were men diagnosed with prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy and controls were men undergoing surgery for bladder cancer without any histological findings of prostate cancer. Six biopsies taken from each patient's prostate gland at the time of surgery were used for cultivation and further characterization of P. acnes.

Results: The results revealed that P. acnes was more common in men with prostate carcinoma than in controls, with the bacteria cultured in 60 % of the cases vs. 26 % of the controls (p = 0.001). In multivariable analyses, men with P. acnes had a 4-fold increase in odds of a prostate cancer diagnosis after adjustment for age, calendar year of surgery and smoking status (OR: 4.46; 95 % CI: 1.93-11.26). To further support the biologic plausibility for a P. acnes infection as a contributing factor in prostate cancer development, we subsequently conducted cell-based experiments. P. acnes- isolates were co-cultured with the prostate cell line PNT1A. An increased cell proliferation and cytokine/chemokine secretion in infected cells was observed.

Conclusion: The present study provides further evidence for a role of P. acnes in prostate cancer development.

Keywords: Infection; Inflammation; Propionibacterium acnes; Prostate cancer.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Zonal anatomy of the prostate. Zonal anatomy of the human prostate, divided into three glandular zones: central zone (CZ), peripheral zone (PZ) and transition zone (TZ). The arrows indicate were the 6 biopsies are taken
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Secretion of IL-6 and CXCL8 from PNT1A cells infected with P. acnes. Secretion of IL-6 and CXCL8 from PNT1A cells infected with P. acnes type IA or II at different MOI. a IL-6 secretion from cells infected with P. acnes type I for 48 h. b IL-6 secretion from cells infected with P. acnes type II for 48 h. c CXCL8 secretion from cells infected with P. acnes type I for 48 h. d CXCL8 secretion from cells infected with P. acnes type II for 48 h. * Statistical significant difference in secretion compared to uninfected cells (p < 0.05 after adjustments for multiple testing)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Secretion of IL-6 and CXC8 secretion between short and long-term infection. Differences in IL-6 and CXCL8 secretion between short- (48 h) and long-term (1 week) infections of PNT1A cells infected with P. acnes type IA or II. a IL-6 secretion from cells infected with P. acnes type I for 48 h or 1 week. b IL-6 secretion from cells infected with P. acnes type II for 48 h or 1 week. c CXCL8 secretion from cells infected with P. acnes type I for 48 h or 1 week. d CXCL8 secretion from cells infected with P. acnes type II for 48 h or 1 week
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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