Abstract
The polymorphic genes PTGS1 and PTGS2 encode cyclooxygenases COX-1 and COX-2, respectively. Overexpression of these cyclooxygenases is linked to inflammation and neoplasms. This study investigated the potential association between the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) -842A>G (rs10306114) of the PTGS1 gene and SNP-765G>C (rs20417) of the PTGS2 gene with prostate cancer (PCa) and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Blood leucocyte DNA from 56 healthy individuals, 61 individuals with PCa, and 51 individuals with BPH were genotyped using the PCR-RFLP method. Associations were inferred by calculating odds ratios (OR) and relative risks (RR) of genotype distributions and allele frequencies. The genotypes for both SNPs were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for all groups. No significant association was observed between the A or G alleles or the AA, AG, or GG genotypes of the SNP-842A>G of the PTGS1 gene and prostatic diseases. However, the C allele of SNP-765G>C of the PTGS2 gene was significantly associated with an increased risk of BPH (OR = 2.30, p-value = 0.01). Differences in the ratios of GG/GC and GG/(GC+CC) genotypes also suggested a potential association between the C allele and PCa (p-value <0.1), and the combined affected (PCa+BPH) group (p-value <0.04). The small sample size and sampling from one ethnic group are limitations of this study.