Purpose: PRDXs are antioxidant enzymes that have an important role in cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. We investigated whether PRDX I and VI expression is related to bladder cancer.
Materials and methods: PRDX I and VI mRNA levels were examined in 149 tumor specimens in patients with primary bladder cancer, in 19 specimens with corresponding normal-appearing bladder mucosa surrounding cancer and in 18 with normal bladder mucosa using real-time polymerase chain reaction.
Results: PRDX I and VI expression in bladder cancer (0.6644 and 0.1455 pg/ml) was significantly higher than in normal tissue (0.0278 and 0.0542 pg/ml, each p <0.05) and higher than in corresponding normal bladder mucosa surrounding cancer (0.2353 and 0.0304 pg/ml, respectively, each p <0.0005). PRDX I and VI expression was enhanced in patients with no recurrence (0.8148 and 0.2232 pg/ml) and no progression (0.7405 and 0.1716 pg/ml) compared with levels in those with recurrence (0.4314 and 0.0588 pg/ml) and progression (0.4338 and 0.0668 pg/ml, respectively, each p <0.05). PRDX I and VI expression did not correlate with disease-free survival in patients with bladder cancer.
Conclusions: Enhanced PRDX I and VI expression is strongly associated with bladder cancer development. Moreover, enhanced PRDX I and VI expression is also positively associated with a low rate of bladder cancer recurrence and progression. It might be useful as a marker for assessing the recurrence or progression of human bladder cancer.