Changes in plasma ghrelin levels, gastric ghrelin production, and body weight after Helicobacter pylori cure.
BACKGROUND
Ghrelin is a body weight-regulating peptide produced and secreted primarily by the gastric mucosa. Helicobacter pylori infection impairs gastric ghrelin production, leading to a lower plasma ghrelin concentration. However, the effect of H. pylori eradication on plasma ghrelin levels and its relation to body weight change after H. pylori cure are still uncertain. We examined the association of plasma ghrelin levels with gastric ghrelin production and body weight change before and after H. pylori eradication.


METHODS
Plasma ghrelin concentrations, gastric ghrelin expression, and body weight were determined in a total of 134 consecutive individuals before and 12 weeks after successful H. pylori eradication. Gastric ghrelin expression was evaluated by determining mRNA expression levels and the number of ghrelin-producing cells in gastric mucosa biopsy specimens by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, respectively.


RESULTS
Plasma ghrelin concentration increased in 50 patients and decreased in 84 patients after H. pylori eradication. After H. pylori cure, however, gastric preproghrelin mRNA expression was increased nearly fourfold (P < 0.0001), and the number of ghrelin-positive cells was increased or unchanged. In contrast, plasma ghrelin changes after H. pylori cure were inversely correlated with both body weight change (P < 0.0001) and initial plasma ghrelin levels (P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in plasma ghrelin concentrations before and after H. pylori cure were inversely correlated with body weight change and initial plasma ghrelin levels but not with gastric ghrelin production in Japanese patients.
Osawa
Hiroyuki
H
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Japan.
Kita
Hiroto
H
Ohnishi
Hirohide
H
Nakazato
Masamitsu
M
Date
Yukari
Y
Bowlus
Christopher L
CL
Ishino
Yumiko
Y
Watanabe
Eiko
E
Shiiya
Tomomi
T
Ueno
Hiroaki
H
Hoshino
Hiroko
H
Satoh
Kiichi
K
Sugano
Kentaro
K
D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D001835:Body Weight; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015870:Gene Expression; D054439:Ghrelin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000658:Amoxicillin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D017291:Clarithromycin