Cytokines gene expression in the tunica albuginea of patients with Peyronie’s disease. Pilot study with a control group

Abstract

INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: Cytokines may be involved in the pathogenesis of the Peyronie's disease (PD). Cytokines levels in tunica albuginea (TA) specimens were measured by Real Time PCR in PD patients and in control group. MATERIAL & METHODS: Between January 2009 and December 2010 20 PD patients affected by PD and 8 patients affected by congenital recurvatum penis (control group) undergoing surgery were entered in the study. Routine histological examination and measurement by Real Time PCR of the expression of the encoding genes for IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, TGF-β1, TNF-α, IFN-γ and Metalloproteinase (MMP-2) were performed. For the normalization of data, GAPDH (glucerldehyde-3 fosfatehydrogenase) gene normally expressed in all cells was adopted. The analysis of the data was performed using the comparative method of Δct. The target gene expression were reported with the fold of induction (FOI) method calculated according to GAPDH both in PD and in control Group samples. RESULTS: The absence of inflammatory cells was demonstrated by routine histological examination in all samples. A lower median level of gene expression cytokines was detected in the PD patients when compared with the control group: IL-10 0,3864 (range 0- 1,1483), IL-2 0,089 (range 0- 0,3586), IL-6 0,0406 (range 0-0,1478), IFN-γ 0,029 (range 0-0,1187), MMP-2 0,2491 (range 0- 0,6480). IL-4, IL-13 and TNF-α were not detectable. No significant difference emerged between PD and control patients, although a trend for higher levels of TGF-β in PD patients 1,0396 (range 0,1540- 3,6432) vs 1 (control group). CONCLUSIONS: The expression of cytokines in tunica albuginea of PD patients compared to the control patients do not show any significative difference. Cytokines promoting inflammation are undetectable in PD patients and not seem to be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. A higher level, althoug the difference was not statistically significative of the TGF- β, a profibrotic cytokine, was detected in PD patients representing a possible explain action of fibtotic tissue when the inflammation is off.