['Numerous inflammatory diseases display elevated interleukin (IL)-8, and most are associated with a reactive stroma. IL-8 expression is also elevated in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), yet little is known about reactive stroma in BPH. Whether a reactive stroma response exists in BPH, whether this correlates with elevated IL-8, and whether IL-8 can induce a reactive stroma phenotype have not been determined. This study was designed to specifically address these issues.', 'Normal prostate transition zone tissue and BPH specimens, as identified by the Baylor College of Medicine pathology department, were examined by quantitative immunohistochemistry to correlate IL-8, smooth muscle alpha-actin, vimentin, calponin, and tenascin-C. In addition, human prostate stromal cell cultures were used to evaluate the effect of IL-8 on the expression of reactive stroma biomarkers.', 'BPH nodules exhibited elevated epithelial IL-8 immunoreactivity, and this correlated with elevated smooth muscle alpha-actin, reduced calponin, and altered deposition of tenascin-C, relative to the normal prostate transition zone tissue (P <0.05). Multiple vimentin-positive prostate stromal fibroblast cultures were induced by IL-8 to also co-express smooth muscle alpha-actin and tenascin-C, typical of a reactive stroma myofibroblast phenotype.'] Does elevated epithelial expression of interleukin-8 correlate with myofibroblast reactive stroma in benign prostatic hyperplasia?