title: Interaction of Helicobacter pylori-induced follicular gastritis and autoimmune gastritis in BALB/c mice with post-thymectomy autoimmune gastritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is still controversy about the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and autoimmune gastritis. The aim of this study was to clarify whether or not H. pylori infection interacts with the development of autoimmune gastritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neonatally thymectomized BALB/c mice with autoimmune gastritis received orally administered H. pylori and were examined histologically and serologically. The T-helper (Th)1/Th2 immune balance in the microenvironment of the stomach was evaluated by reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Uninfected mice showed disappearance of parietal cells, and upregulation of IFN-Gamma, but no germinal center formation. The infected neonatally thymectomized mice showed follicular gastritis, preserved parietal cells, decreased serum anti-parietal antibodies, and upregulation of IL-4 and IFN-gamma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  H. pylori infection changes the microenvironment of the gastric mucosa by inducing a Th2 immune response in addition to a Th1 response, and regresses autoimmune gastritis in neonatally thymectomized BALB/c mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endoscopic Medicine and Gastroenterology, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.forename: Masaya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohana
authors.forename: Chikashi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: Kazushige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Toshiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishi
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwano
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: Kimio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asada
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hiai
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chiba
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010295:Parietal Cells, Gastric / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013934:Thymectomy
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma