title: Isotypic analysis of specific antibody response in serum, saliva, gastric and rectal homogenates of Helicobacter pylori-infected patients.
abstract: The relationship between systemic and local humoral immune response to Helicobacter pylori is poorly understood. To further address this issue we measured, using ELISA, H. pylori-specific IgG and IgA antibodies in serum, saliva, gastric and rectal homogenates of H. pylori-infected patients. A total of 107 patients who underwent upper GI endoscopy and/or sigmoidoscopy were studied. The isotypic pattern of H. pylori-specific antibodies appeared to differ at the serum, salivary, gastric and rectal mucosa level. Serum H. pylori IgG titers were higher than those of the serum-specific IgA. On the contrary, in saliva samples H. pylori IgA titers were higher than specific IgG titers. In gastric homogenates, specific IgG and IgA titers were similar. H. pylori-specific IgG were detectable in rectal homogenates but no or very low H. pylori-specific IgA were found in the same material. Furthermore, no difference was found in H. pylori IgG and IgA in serum, saliva and gastric homogenates between duodenal ulcer and non-ulcer dyspepsia patients. Data of the present study indicate that, in H. pylori-infected patients, the specific immune response is as follows: (1) it involves the secretory immune system; (2) it is paralleled by the specific salivary IgA; (3) it does not differentiate duodenal ulcer from non-ulcer dyspepsia patients; and (4) it does not take place in the large bowel.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università di Reggio Calabria, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luzza
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imeneo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maletta
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Monteleone
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Doldo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Biancone
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pallone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012007:Rectum / Q000276:immunology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes