[The mRNA expression of P16(ink4a) and HST2 in benign prostatic hyperplasia tissues: a pilot study].

Objective: To investigate the expressions of the aging gene P16(ink4a) and anti-aging gene HST2 in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Methods: Twenty-three BPH and eighteen normal prostate specimens were collected and total RNA was extracted, followed by the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expressions of P16(ink4a) was detected by semi-quantitative analysis in BPH and normal prostate tissues.

Results: P16(ink4a) mRNA, rather than HST2, was expressed in the BPH and normal prostate tissues. Semi-quantitative analysis showed that the P16(ink4a) mRNA expression in the normal prostate tissues (0.4868 +/- 0.545 was significantly higher than in the BPH tissues (0.2783 +/- 0.0268, with a statistical difference in between (P < 0. 05).

Conclusion: P16(ink4a) might play an important role in the pathogenesis of BPH and is probably one of the factors of cell aging escape.