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Basic Research

Increased levels of plasma haemoxygenase-1 in prostate cancer

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases volume 14, pages 114–117 (2011)Cite this article

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Abstract

Angiogenesis, a key component of cancer, may be driven by angiogenic growth factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-2. Haemoxygenase-1 (HO-1), a haem-degrading enzyme, may have alternative roles in angiogenesis. Levels of plasma HO-1 have not been reported in prostate cancer. We tested the hypothesis of abnormal HO-1 in 30 men with early prostate cancer, compared with 22 men with benign prostate disease (BPD) and 26 men free of prostate disease, and that HO-1 levels would correlate with VEGF, angiopoietin-2, von Willebrand factor (vWf, marking endothelial perturbation) and PSA. Plasma HO-1 was twofold higher in prostate cancer than in the two control groups, while vWf, VEGF and PSA were also raised (all P<0.02). In the subjects free of prostate disease and in the BPD groups, HO-1 correlated significantly with VEGF (r>0.5, P<0.02) but the correlation in prostate cancer was not significant (r=0.117, P=0.537). There were no correlations with PSA or the Gleason stage. We conclude that HO-1 is associated with VEGF in health and BPD, but in the presence of prostate cancer, raised levels of both HO-1 and VEGF fail to correlate. This observation may have implications for the pathogenesis of prostate cancer.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Prostate Research Campaign (UK) and our clinical colleagues Drs Anwar, Lynch, Sami and Leahy for their support of this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Haemostasis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Unit, University of Birmingham Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, Birmingham, UK

    A D Blann, B Balakrishnan & G Y H Lip

  2. Department of Urology, City Hospital, Birmingham, UK

    P Ryan

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  1. A D Blann
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  2. B Balakrishnan
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  3. P Ryan
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  4. G Y H Lip
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Correspondence to A D Blann.

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Blann, A., Balakrishnan, B., Ryan, P. et al. Increased levels of plasma haemoxygenase-1 in prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 14, 114–117 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/pcan.2010.56

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