Cytokine gene expression in Helicobacter pylori associated antral gastritis.
Infection of the gastric antrum by Helicobacter pylori is characterised by a cellular inflammatory infiltrate. Whether cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of this gastritis has been investigated by studying the effect of eradicating H pylori on the expression of genes encoding the cytokines interleukin 8 (IL-8) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in the antral mucosa. Gastric antral biopsy specimens were taken from nine patients with duodenal ulcers and cytokine transcripts were identified and quantified by northern blotting. After H pylori had been eradicated the chronic inflammatory infiltrate decreased in all the patients and the polymorphonuclear infiltrate virtually disappeared. Expression of genes also decreased. After eradication, the median TNF-alpha mRNA/rRNA fell to 48% (p = 0.02) and the median IL-8 mRNA/rRNA fell to 5% (p = 0.004) of initial values. These results support the role of increased synthesis of these cytokines in the pathogenesis of the gastritis.
Moss
S F
SF
Department of Medicine, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London.
Legon
S
S
Davies
J
J
Calam
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015870:Gene Expression; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D016209:Interleukin-8; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha