Helicobacter pylori antigen and its IgG, IgA -type specific immunocomplexes in sera from patients with Helicobacter pylori infection.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the characteristics of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) antigen in serum and to evaluate its clinical diagnostic value.


METHODS
Enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) was developed to detect the soluble H. pylori antigen (S-Hp) and circulatory specific H. pylori antigen immunocomplexes (Hp-IC) in serum.


RESULTS
The positive rate of S-Hp was 90.91% from 66 patients with H. pylori infection, which was much greater than 0% found in 28 controls (P < 0.001). Moreover, its concentration closely reflected the number of H. pylori in the gastric mucosa layer. We also found that Hp-IC existed bound with IgG and/or IgA in patients with positive S-Hp. However, there is no evidence to show the concentration of S-Hp reduced significantly in followed-up subjects after effective therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
These methods as newly and noninvasive complementary tools can be used for clinical diagnosis of H. pylori infection. In addition, S-Hp and Hp-IC may be of importance in H. pylori pathogenesis.
Zhu
Yongliang
Y
Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China. Z3566@sohu.com
Lin
Jie
J
Li
Da
D
Du
Qin
Q
Qian
Keda
K
Wu
Qindong
Q
Zheng
Shu
S
D000328:Adult; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000097:blood*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G