Extracellular DNA in benign prostatic hyperplasia in old and young rats

Introduction. Extracellular DNA (ecDNA) is considered to be a biomarker of cell death in diagnostics of prostate diseases. Aim - To assess concentration of ecDNA in blood of young and elderly rats in normal conditions and in induced benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Materials and methods. Male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups - young (3 months) and elderly (20 months), intact and with induced BPH. Rats in BPH groups were surgically castrated and administered testosterone (25 mg/kg, 7 injections during 20 days). When the experiment was over, testosterone and ecDNA levels in blood, body weight and prostate weight, prostatic index (PI) and histological features were evaluated. Results. Among intact rats the elderly had significantly higher level of ecDNA (2,00±0,14 ng/mcl) compared to the young (1,02±0,30 ng/mcl). Body weight of elderly rats was 1,6 times higher, prostate weight was 1,4 times higher than in young rats, without increase in PI. Blood testosterone level in young rats (6,20±0,93) was 1,6 times higher compared to old rats (3,77±0,55)...