title: Effect of probiotics and triple eradication therapy on the cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression, apoptosis, and functional gastric mucosal impairment in Helicobacter pylori-infected Mongolian gerbils.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Helicobacter pylori infection in Mongolian gerbils is an established experimental model of gastric carcinogenesis that mimics H. pylori-positive patients developing gastric ulcer and gastric cancer, but the effect of probiotic therapy on functional aspects of this infection remains unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared the effects of intragastric inoculation of gerbils with H. pylori strain (cagA+ vacA+, 5 x 10(6) colony forming units/ml) with or without triple therapy including omeprazole, amoxicillin, and tinidazol or probiotic bacteria Lacidofil. Histology of glandular mucosa, the viable H. pylori, and density of H. pylori colonization were evaluated. The gastric blood flow was measured by H2-gas clearance method; the plasma gastrin and gastric luminal somatostatin were determined by RIA and expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and apoptotic Bax and Bcl-2 proteins were evaluated by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The gastric H. pylori infection was detected in all animals by histology and H. pylori culture. Basal gastric acid was significantly reduced in H. pylori-infected animals but not in those with triple therapy or Lacidofil. Early lesions were seen already 4 weeks upon H. pylori inoculation and consisted of chronic gastritis and glandular atypia associated with typical regenerative hyperplasia and increased mitotic activity and formation of apoptotic bodies. The H. pylori infection was accompanied by the fall in gastric blood flow, the marked increase in plasma gastrin, the significant fall in gastric somatostatin levels and Bcl-2 protein expression, and the rise in expression of COX-2 and Bax proteins. These mucosal changes were counteracted by the triple therapy and Lacidofil.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  H. pylori infection in gerbils, associated with regenerative hyperplasia of glandular structure, results in the suppression of gastric secretion, overexpression of COX-2, and enhancement in apoptosis and impairment of both, gastric blood flow and gastrin-somatostatin link that were reversed by anti-H. pylori triple therapy and attenuated by probiotics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology Jagiellonian University School of Medicine, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brzozowski
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Konturek
authors.forename: Marzena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mierzwa
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Drozdowicz
authors.forename: Wladyslaw
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bielanski
authors.forename: Slawomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kwiecien
authors.forename: Stanislaw J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Konturek
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stachura
authors.forename: Wieslaw W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Pawlik
authors.forename: Eckhart G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Hahn
mesh_terms: D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology; D005755:Gastrins / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D005849:Gerbillinae; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity; D008297:Male; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D019936:Probiotics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013270:Stomach / Q000098:blood supply; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D014011:Tinidazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005755:Gastrins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D014011:Tinidazole; D013004:Somatostatin; D000658:Amoxicillin; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D009853:Omeprazole