Gastric gelatinase B/matrix metalloproteinase-9 is rapidly increased in Helicobacter felis-induced gastritis.
It has previously been shown that matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) levels, originating from macrophages, are considerably increased in human Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis. Here, the early kinetics of the MMP-9 response resulting from Helicobacter infection in C57BL/6 and MMP-9 knock-out mice using the murine Helicobacter felis model were examined. H. felis infection induced severe gastritis in the murine stomach at just 2 weeks after infection. Before gastritis, an increase was observed in MMP-9-positive cells detected by immunohistochemistry in the basal lamina propria. This finding was corroborated by gelatin zymography of stomach samples. As the gastritis increased so did the concentration of MMP-9 and the incidence of gastric MMP-9-positive cells, their location corresponding to that of macrophages. In contrast, systemic levels of MMP-9 remained unchanged. When MMP-9-deficient mice were infected with H. felis, no significant difference in gastritis development was detected compared with disease development in wild-type animals. We conclude that MMP-9 production is an early event in the response to gastric Helicobacter infection, a feature that may favor the recruitment of immune cells early during infection. At later stages, however, the increased levels of MMP-9 may damage the integrity of the stomach mucosa.
Bergin
Philip J
PJ
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden.
Raghavan
Sukanya
S
Svensson
Helena
H
Starckx
Sofie
S
Van Aelst
Ilse
I
Gjertsson
Inger
I
Opdenakker
Ghislain
G
Quiding-Järbrink
Marianne
M
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D044922:Helicobacter felis / Q000502:physiology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000172:deficiency; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D013154:Spleen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9