Association of catechol-o-methyl transferase gene polymorphism with prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia

BACKGROUND: A single nucleotide variation within catechol-o-methyl transferase (COMT) gene may alter the COMT enzyme activity level. Polymorphism of Val158Met in the COMT gene has been related to malignancy. In this regard, a study was carried out to find a possible association between the COMT gene polymorphism in patients with sporadic prostate cancer (PCa) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). METHODS: All types of COMT158 Val/Met polymorphism were carried out using ASO-PCR method in 41 patients with prostate cancer, 193 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and 107 healthy male individuals. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that the frequency of low producer allele A at codon 158 of the COMT gene is significantly different in BPH group compared to normal male control group (OR, 95% CI, p value 1.95: 1.46, 2.44, 0.021, respectively). However no significant difference was noticed when the comparison was made between prostate cancer group and normal male control group and also between BPH and PCa groups. CONCLUSIONS: Decreased level of catechol-o-methyl transferase gene activity may play a possible role in benign prostatic hyperplasia development but not in prostate cancer. Increased level of COMT gene activity has a protective role against BPH.