Expression of mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule 1 on vascular endothelium of gastric mucosa in patients with nodular gastritis.
OBJECTIVE
The interaction of mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule 1 (MAdCAM-1) with integrin alpha4beta7 mediates lymphocyte recruitment into mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). Nodular gastritis is characterized by a unique military pattern on endoscopy representing increased numbers of lymphoid follicles with germinal center, strongly associated with H pylori infection. The purpose of this study was to address the implication of the MAdCAM-1/integrin beta7 pathway in NG.


METHODS
We studied 17 patients with NG and H pylori infection and 19 H pylori-positive and 14 H pylori-negative controls. A biopsy sample was taken from the antrum and snap-frozen for immunohistochemical analysis of MAdCAM-1 and integrin beta7. In simultaneous viewing of serial sections, the percentage of MAdCAM-1-positive to von Willebrand factor-positive vessels was calculated. We also performed immunostaining with anti-CD20, CD4, CD8 and CD68 antibodies to determine the lymphocyte subsets co-expressing integrin beta7.


RESULTS
Vascular endothelial MAdCAM-1 expression was more enhanced in gastric mucosa with than without H pylori infection. Of note, the percentages of MAdCAM-1-positive vessels were significantly higher in the lamina propria of NG patients than in H pylori-positive controls. Strong expression of MAdCAM-1 was identified adjacent to lymphoid follicles and dense lymphoid aggregates. Integrin beta7-expressing mononuclear cells, mainly composed of CD20 and CD4 lymphocytes, were associated with vessels lined with MAdCAM-1-expressing endothelium.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the MAdCAM-1/integrin alpha4beta7 homing system may participate in gastric inflammation in response to H pylori-infection and contributes to MALT formation, typically leading to the development of NG.
Ohara
Hiroshi
H
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan.
Isomoto
Hajime
H
Wen
Chun-Yang
CY
Ejima
Chieko
C
Murata
Masahiro
M
Miyazaki
Masanobu
M
Takeshima
Fuminao
F
Mizuta
Yohei
Y
Murata
Ikuo
I
Koji
Takehiko
T
Nagura
Hiroshi
H
Kohno
Shigeru
S
D001483:Base Sequence; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D017931:DNA Primers; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000473:pathology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000473:pathology; D009088:Mucoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D017931:DNA Primers; D007136:Immunoglobulins; C504265:MADCAM1 protein, human; D009088:Mucoproteins