Associations Between Variants in the Cyclooxygenase 2 Enzyme Gene (PTGS2) and Development of Benign Prostate Enlargement

The document reports on a study that investigated the association between polymorphisms in the cyclooxygenase 2 enzyme gene (PTGS2) and the development of benign prostate enlargement (BPE). The study included 356 men from Olmsted County, MN, aged between 40 and 79 years in 1990, who were followed biennially for 16 years. Prostate volume was measured by transrectal ultrasound, and the men reported their medication use at the time of examination. The study found significant associations between four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the PTGS2 gene and the development of BPE, with prostate volumes greater than 30 mL. However, these associations were not observed in men who used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The conclusion suggests that variants in the PTGS2 gene may increase the risk of prostate enlargement, but NSAID use may minimize this risk. The study also briefly mentions a separate study on androgenetic alopecia (AGA) as an early marker of BPE, which found a relationship between AGA and prostate growth-associated urinary symptoms, suggesting that early-onset AGA may be an early indicator of urinary/prostatic symptomatology.