Heat-shock protein 70 expression in the seminal plasma of patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome

The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic value and potentially protective capacity of heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70) in chronic bacterial prostatitis and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). In this study, seminal plasma levels of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta)) and HSP70 were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 80 men: 15 healthy controls, 16 men with chronic bacterial prostatitis, 23 men with CP/CPPS IIIA and 26 with CP/CPPS IIIB. The HSP70 levels in chronic bacterial prostatitis and CP/CPPS patients were correlated with chronic prostatitis symptom index (CPSI). Significantly increased levels of cytokines (TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta) and HSP70 were observed in seminal plasmas from patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis compared with CP/CPPS patients and controls. However, only IL-1 beta was significantly elevated compared with CP/CPPS IIIB and controls in patients with CP/CPPS IIIA. HSP70 levels in CP/CPPS patients were significantly lower than that in controls. HSP70 concentration in seminal plasma was negatively correlated with CPSI in chronic bacterial prostatitis. The results indicated that HSP70 and IL-1 beta appear to be the most reliable and predictive surrogate markers to diagnose chronic bacterial prostatitis and CP/CPPS, respectively. HSP70 has an important protective role in the regulation of cell functions in chronic bacterial prostatitis. CP/CPPS would probably be detrimental to the ability of T cells and consequently suppress the expression of HSP70. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases (2010) 13, 338-342; doi: 10.1038/pcan.2010.22; published online 29 June 2010