title: Gastric interleukin-8 and IgA IL-8 autoantibodies in Helicobacter pylori infection.
abstract: Gastric infection with Helicobacter pylori is frequently characterized by neutrophil infiltration. The production of the neutrophil-activating peptide (NAP-1/IL-8) and mucosal IgA autoantibodies to IL-8 by human antral biopsies have been examined during short-term in vitro culture. Detectable IL-8 was secreted by 84% of H. pylori-negative patients with normal antral mucosa (range < 0.07-61.5 ng/mg biopsy protein, n = 19). Concentrations in 4 patients with reactive gastritis and 10 with inactive gastritis were not significantly different from subjects with normal mucosa. In H. pylori-positive patients with active gastritis and neutrophil infiltration into the epithelium (n = 17) IL-8 secretion was significantly increased relative to subjects with normal mucosa (P < 0.0001), inactive gastritis (P < 0.001) and reactive gastritis (P < 0.01). IL-8 concentrations in active gastritis were significantly correlated with the extent of epithelial surface degeneration (r = 0.64). IgA autoantibodies were present in 19 patients (13 active, 4 inactive gastritis) and concentrations were significantly correlated with IL-8 production (P < 0.001). Gastric synthesis of IL-8 is likely to be an important factor in regulating mucosal neutrophil infiltration and activation in patients with H. pylori infection. The local production of IgA antibodies to IL-8 may represent a down-regulatory response of the host to limit mucosal damage associated with a chronic bacterial infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Crabtree
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peichl
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Stachl
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Lindley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000276:immunology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000032:analysis*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D016209:Interleukin-8