Profiling and identification of eubacteria in the stomach of Mongolian gerbils with and without Helicobacter pylori infection.
BACKGROUND
Mongolian gerbils are frequently used to study Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis and its consequences. The presence of an indigenous bacterial flora with suppressive effect on H. pylori may cause difficulties with establishing this experimental model.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to determine bacterial profiles in the stomach of Mongolian gerbils with and without (controls) H. pylori infection.


METHODS
Gastric tissue from H. pylori ATCC 43504 and CCUG 17874 infected and control animals were subjected to microbial culturing and histology. In addition, gastric mucosal samples from H. pylori ATCC 43504 infected and control animals were analyzed for bacterial profiling by temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE), cloning and pyrosequencing of 16S rDNA variable V3 region derived PCR amplicons.


RESULTS
Oral administration of H. pylori ATCC 43504, but not CCUG 17874, induced colonization and gastric inflammation in the stomach of Mongolian gerbils. Temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) and partial 16S rDNA pyrosequencing revealed the presence of DNA representing a mixed bacterial flora in the stomach of both H. pylori ATCC 43504 infected and control animals. In both cases, lactobacilli appeared to be dominant.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that indigenous bacteria, particularly lactobacilli, may have an impact on the colonization and growth of H. pylori strains in the stomach of Mongolian gerbils.
Sun
Yi-Qian
YQ
Department of Biomedicine and Surgery; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Linköping, Jönköping, Sweden.
Monstein
Hans-Jürg
HJ
Nilsson
Lennart E
LE
Petersson
Fredrik
F
Borch
Kurt
K
D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005849:Gerbillinae; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000032:analysis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S