Detection of antibodies directed at M. hyorhinis p37 in the serum of men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer

We report the incidence of men with prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) being seropositive for M. hyorhinis. Antibodies to M. hyorhinis were surveyed by a novel indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum samples collected from men presenting to an outpatient Urology clinic for BPH (N = 105) or prostate cancer (N = 114) from 2006-2009.A seropositive rate of 36% in men with BPH and 52% in men with prostate cancer was reported, thus leading us to speculate a possible connection between M. hyorhinis exposure with prostate cancer.These results further support a potential exacerbating role for mycoplasma in the development of prostate cancer.Recent studies suggest infection and inflammation initiate certain cancers including cancers of the prostate [1-5]. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 20% of all worldwide cancers are caused by infections [6]. These infectious agents may directly induce tumorigenesis through viral or bacterial protein products that have oncogenic effects or indirectly through a local chronic and progressive inflammatory response [7-9]. There is a paucity of information regarding the role of mucosal bacteria in contributing to malignancies of the prostate. One class of bacteria that is of particular interest is the Mollicutes. Mycoplasmas (class Mollicutes) are tiny, pleomorphic, wall-free, prokaryotic organisms that can reside either on the eukaryotic cell membrane or inside the cell. They are the smallest organisms (0.2-0.3 μm) capable of self-replication [10] with genomes of approximately 580-1200 kBp. Several mycoplasmas have been well documented as human pathogens [11,12], however, it is conceivable that many mycoplasmal infections may go unidentified since numerous species can grow for extended periods of time in close interaction with mammalian cells without producing obvious cytopathic effects or noticeable symptoms.A modern understanding of the latency of cancer and the emerging role of