[The changes of ammonia and epidermal growth factor concentration in gastric juice before and after the Helicobacter pylori eradication].
OBJECTIVE
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the cause of peptic ulcer diseases, and gastric cancer. Hydrolysis of urea generating ammonia may cause cytotoxic effects on the gastric epithelium. The ammonia may induce the synthesis of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in gastric epithelium as an adaptive cytoprotective mechanism. The first aim was to examine the concentration of ammonia and EGF in gastric juice before and after H. pylori eradication in functional dyspepsia patients. The second aim was to examine the correlation among ammonia concentration, EGF concentration, and inflammatory score of gastritis.


METHODS
The concentration of ammonia and EGF were measured by ELISA. The grade and severity of gastritis were measured according to the updated Sydney system.


RESULTS
The concentration of ammonia in gastric juice was much higher in the H. pylori positive subjects (10,787 +/- 6,584 micro mol/L) than in the negative subjects (2,339 +/- 1,158 micro mol/L, p<0.0001). The concentrations of EGF in gastric juice was much higher in the positive subjects (1,462 +/- 393 pg/mL) than in the negative subjects (1,088 +/- 499 pg/mL, p<0.005). The concentration of ammonia and EGF in gastric juice showed significant correlation (r=0.63, p<0.0001). The concentrations of ammonia and histologic severities showed significant correlation (r=0.41, p<0.0001). Moreover, the level of EGF in gastric juice and histologic severities showed positive correlation (r=0.20, p<0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
As the concentration of ammonia in gastric juices increased, the concentration of EGF was also increased in functional dyspepsia with H. pylori infection. The concentration of EGF in gastric juice may play a role in the adaptive cytoprotection in H. pylori- induced gastritis.
Jang
Jae Young
JY
Department of Internal Medicine, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Chang
Young Woon
YW
Choi
Sun Young
SY
Kim
Nam Hoon
NH
Lim
Keun Woo
KW
Jung
Yong Hee
YH
Han
Yo Seb
YS
Dong
Seok Ho
SH
Kim
Hyo Jong
HJ
Kim
Byung Ho
BH
Lee
Joung Il
JI
Chang
Rin
R
D000328:Adult; D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000737:chemistry*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D000641:Ammonia