Role of tumor necrosis factor alpha in Helicobacter pylori gastritis in tumor necrosis factor receptor 1-deficient mice.
Increased gastric production of interleukin 8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori-associated gastroduodenal disease. In the present study we used a mouse model to demonstrate whether loss of the tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNF-R1) function leads to differences in gastric inflammation or the systemic immune response in H. pylori infection. Six different clinical isolates of H. pylori (three cytotoxin-positive and three cytotoxin-negative strains) were adapted to C57BL/6 mice. TNF-R1-deficient (TNF-R1(-/-)) mice (n = 19) and isogenetic controls (n = 24) were infected and sacrificed after 4 weeks of infection. Inflammation of the stomach and the humoral immune response to H. pylori were evaluated by histological, immunohistochemical, and serological methods. There was no detectable difference in the grade or activity of gastritis in TNF-R1(-/-) mice when they were compared with wild-type mice, but the number of lymphoid aggregates was slightly reduced in the gastric mucosa of TNF-R1(-/-) mice. Interestingly, total immunoglobulin G (IgG), as well as IgG1, IgG2b, and IgG3, H. pylori-specific antibody titers were significantly higher in wild-type mice. As revealed by immunoblot analysis, the difference in reactivity against H. pylori antigens was not based on a failure to recognize single H. pylori antigens in TNF-R1(-/-) mice. We therefore suggest that TNF-R1-mediated TNF-alpha signals might support a systemic humoral immune response against H. pylori and that the gastric inflammatory response to H. pylori infection seems to be independent of TNF-R1-mediated signals.
Thalmaier
Ulrike
U
Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Lehn
Norbert
N
Pfeffer
Klaus
K
Stolte
Manfred
M
Vieth
Michael
M
Schneider-Brachert
Wulf
W
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology*; D014709:Vero Cells
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D015703:Antigens, CD; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha