Reduced expression of sulfatides and galactosylceramide 3'-sulfotransferase in the gastric mucosa of chronic gastritis.
BACKGROUND
Sulfatides highly expressed in the normal gastric mucosa play important roles in gastric mucosal protection. However, it is unknown whether the sulfatides expression changes in chronic gastritis.


METHODS
Sulfatides expression levels were examined with immunohistochemical staining in 77 specimens obtained from resected human stomachs, followed by the measurement of optical density of the staining under digital microscopy. For mRNA expression analysis of GalCer (galactosylceramide)-sulfotransferase and arylsulfatase A using a quantitative real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, 64 biopsy specimens were endoscopically taken from the gastric corpus of out patients. Mucosal changes were scored under microscopic observations according to the updated Sydney System classification.


RESULTS
The sulfatides expression decreased along with the progression of mucosal atrophy and lymphocytes infiltration, and was barely observed in intestinal metaplasia. The mRNA expression of GalCer-sulfotransferase, a biosynthetic enzyme for sulfatides, also decreased along with the progression of mucosal atrophy and lymphocytes infiltration. In contrast, mRNA expression of arylsulfatase A, which degrades sulfatides, was not altered.


CONCLUSIONS
Expression of sulfatides and GalCer-sulfotransferase in the gastric mucosa of chronic gastritis is selectively reduced according to the mucosal atrophy and inflammation. Decreased expression of sulfatides may attribute to the deterioration of mucosal protection in chronic gastritis.
Osawa
Hiroyuki
H
Department of Internal Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan. osawa@jichi.ac.jp
Ohnishi
Hirohide
H
Kita
Hiroto
H
Igari
Toru
T
Hayashi
Yukiko
Y
Iwamori
Masao
M
Kawakami
Masanobu
M
Sugano
Kentaro
K
D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D002553:Cerebroside-Sulfatase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D015238:Sulfotransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids; D015238:Sulfotransferases; C020556:galactosylceramide sulfotransferase; D002553:Cerebroside-Sulfatase