title: Higher gastric mucin secretion and lower gastric acid output in first-degree relatives of gastric cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients infected by Helicobacter pylori who have first-degree relatives with gastric cancer have an 8-fold increased risk of developing gastric cancer themselves. Mucins are high-molecular-weight glycoproteins that play a cardinal role in the protective mechanism of the gastric epithelium.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study gastric acid and mucin secretion in dyspeptic patients with and without a family history of gastric cancer and H. pylori infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six dyspeptic patients underwent esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy, gastric biopsies, and acid and mucin secretory tests. The sample was divided by family history of gastric cancer and H. pylori status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients who were infected by H. pylori had a significantly higher degree of inflammation than those who were not. H. pylori-positive patients with a positive family history had a lower basal and maximal gastric acid output than infected patients with no family history and noninfected controls, and a higher basal and maximal mucin output than infected patients with no family history. MUC5AC was the major mucin species expressed in gastric juice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with relatives with gastric cancer, H. pylori infection is associated with a more severe inflammatory reaction consisting of decreased gastric acid secretion and increased mucin secretion.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Israel.
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Vilkin
authors: Zohar
authors: Z
authors: Levi
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Morgenstern
authors: Haim
authors: H
authors: Shmuely
authors: Eyal
authors: E
authors: Gal
authors: Bracha
authors: B
authors: Hadad
authors: Britta
authors: B
authors: Hardi
authors: Yaron
authors: Y
authors: Niv
mesh_terms: D000126:Achlorhydria / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005192:Family Health; D005752:Gastric Mucins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D005752:Gastric Mucins