title: Interferon gamma and interleukin 4 secreting cells in the gastric antrum in Helicobacter pylori positive and negative gastritis.
abstract: Little is known of the function of the T cells in the inflammatory infiltrate in Helicobacter pylori associated gastritis. This study thus measured T cell in vivo activation by enumerating the frequency of interferon gamma (IFN gamma) and interleukin 4 (IL 4) secreting cells isolated from the gastric antral mucosa in patients with or without gastritis and in H pylori positive and negative gastritis. Fifty four samples were examined for cytokine secretion. Four antral biopsy specimens from each patient (n = 51) were taken during diagnostic endoscopy. One was used to estimate histological gastritis and the presence of H pylori, and three of the samples were used to isolate T cells by enzymatic digestion. IFN gamma and IL 4 secreting cells were enumerated by ELISPOT. Thirty four samples had gastritis and 79% of those were H pylori positive. None of the samples from non-inflamed mucosa had H pylori. The numbers of IFN gamma secreting cells per 10(5) T cells were higher in gastritis than in normal mucosa (145 v 20 IFN gamma spots, p < 0.01), and higher in H pylori negative than H pylori positive gastritis (371 v 110 IFN gamma spots, p < 0.05). The frequencies of IL 4 secreting cells did not differ between gastritis and non-inflamed mucosa. In conclusion, there is an increase in IFN gamma secreting cells but not in IL 4 secreting cells in H pylori positive and negative gastritis. It is not known if this TH1 type reaction has a pathogenetic or protective role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Karttunen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karttunen
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Ekre
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: MacDonald
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002455:Cell Division; D005756:Gastritis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008875:Middle Aged; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma