Systemic and local immune responses against Helicobacter pylori urease in patients with chronic gastritis: distinct IgA and IgG productive sites.
BACKGROUND
Helicobacter pylori urease is a major target for immune responses among various bacterial components in H pylori infected patients.


OBJECTIVE
To analyse the relation between systemic and local humoral immune responses to H pylori urease and grades of chronic gastritis.


METHODS
Seventy five patients with chronic gastritis associated with H pylori infection were classified into three groups (grade I, superficial gastritis; II, atrophic gastritis, quiescent; or III, atrophic gastritis, active).


METHODS
Anti-H pylori urease specific antibodies in the serum, gastric juice, and biopsy specimens were determined by ELISA or western blotting analysis. The sites for H pylori urease and its specific antibody producing B lymphocytes were confirmed by immunohistochemical analysis.


RESULTS
In the sera of patients with grade I gastritis, weak IgG but relatively strong IgG responses to H pylori urease were observed; dominant strong IgG responses were detected in grade II gastritis. In grade III gastritis, significant IgG and IgA responses were obtained. A similar pattern of IgA and IgG responses was detected in gastric juice and tissue. H pylori urease specific, antibody producing B cells were not found in the gastric mucosa of patients with grade I gastritis despite the presence of such B cells in the duodenal bulb. Specific B cells were observed in the gastric mucosa of patients with grade II and III gastritis with atrophy.


CONCLUSIONS
Purified H pylori urease, together with localisation of its specific antibody producing B cells, are useful for serological testing and histopathological analysis for determining the stage of chronic gastritis and studying the pathogenesis of H pylori infection.
Futagami
S
S
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
Takahashi
H
H
Norose
Y
Y
Kobayashi
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000276:immunology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D014510:Urease / Q000276:immunology*
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D014510:Urease