title: [Glutathione levels in Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric mucosa].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oxidative stress may contribute to gastric epithelial damage and mutagenesis caused by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). H. pylori induces recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells, which produces reactive oxygen species. H. pylori extract directly induces the synthesis of reactive oxygen species in gastric epithelial cells and causes DNA damage. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the levels of glutathione (GSH) and H. pylori density, histological findings, endoscopic findings, clinical variables, and virulence factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gastric biopsy specimens were obtained from 73 consecutive patients. The 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) reaction was used to determine GSH levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The infection rate of H. pylori was 68.5%. The GSH level was not related to age, sex, alcohol intake, and endoscopic findings. The GSH level was lower in patients infected with H. pylori. GSH levels were not correlated significantly with the grades of neutrophil, intestinal metaplasia, and atrophy. However, the GSH levels were significantly correlated with H. pylori density (r=-0.296, p=0.01) and monocyte grade (r=-0.257, p=0.02). The GSH levels were not related to CagA, VacA, and UreA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that H. pylori causes oxidative stresses which deplete GSH in gastric mucosa of patients infected with H. pylori.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon Medical School, Ghil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea. pdk66@ghil.com
authors.forename: Dong Kyun
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seung Ki
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Moon Gi
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Oh Sang
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Sun Suck
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yang Suh
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Yu Kyung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yeon Suk
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Duck Joo
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Chang Shin
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Woon Gye
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Ju Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D005978:Glutathione