Helicobacter pylori L-form and patients with chronic gastritis.
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between infection with Helicobacter pylori L-forms and chronic gastritis and its association with possible changes of cellular immune function.


METHODS
Gastric mucosal biopsies were taken from 428 patients with chronic gastritis to detect H pylori L-form by Gram staining and immunohistochemistry staining. Peripheral venous blood samples of patients were taken to detect the percentage of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ by the biotin-streptavidin (BSA) assay and the levels of IL-2, IL-6 and IL-8 by ELISA.


RESULTS
The rate of infection with H pylori L-forms was 48.83% (209/428). The rate was 50.47% (216/428) and 52.80% (226/428), respectively, as detected by immunohistochemistry staining and Gram staining (P>0.05). The rate of H pylori L-forms in males and females was 57.8% (136/235) and 37.28% (73/193), respectively, (chi2=17.05, P<0.01). Furthermore, the rate increased with age, with the rate being significantly greater in patients > or =40 years old than in those <40 years old (P<0.01). The percentage of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+, and the levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-8 in H pylori-positive patients were 47.58+/-4.44%, 25.51+/-4.74%, 22.77+/-7.46%, 1.44+/-0.51%, 1.56+/-0.47 mg/L, 103.62+/-5.85 ng/L, and 109.79+/-7.18 ng/L, respectively. Compared with H pylori-negative patients, the percentage of CD3+, CD4+ and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ and the IL-2 level decreased, but the levels of IL-6, IL-8 increased (P<0.001-P<0.01). Moreover, the percentage of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+, and the levels of IL-2, IL-6 and IL-8 in patients infected with both H pylori L-forms and vegetative forms were 46.67+/-5.21%, 30.75+/-4.89%, 22.15+/-6.45%, 1.32+/-0.47%, 1.16+/-0.38 mg/L, 116.45+/-5.44 ng/L, and 118.64+/-6.24 ng/L, respectively. Compared with patients infected with only vegetative forms, the percentage of CD4+, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+and IL-2 level decreased, but the levels of IL-6 and IL-8 increased (P<0.001 or P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
L-form variation often occurs in patients with chronic gastritis and is commonly found in male patients and associates with ages. The L-form variation may be an important factor causing disorder of cellular immune function in the patients with H pylori-induced chronic gastritis.
Wang
Ke-Xia
KX
School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan 232001, Anhui Province, China. kexiawang2003@yahoo.com.cn
Chen
Lin
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism
D015703:Antigens, CD; D007378:Interleukins