Interleukin-13 mucosal production in Helicobacter pylori-related gastric diseases.
A shift from Th1 (IFN-gamma) towards Th2 (IL-4)-type immune response was found in patients with gastric cancer and dysplasia. Recently, IL-13 has been described as a central mediator of Th2-dominant immune response in different inflammatory diseases.


OBJECTIVE
to analyse, by Enzyme-Linked-Immuno-SPOT (ELISPOT) assay and immunohistochemistry, the IL-13 production of mononuclear cells obtained from gastric biopsies of 19 H. pylori-negative subjects and 23 H. pylori-positive patients.


RESULTS
By ELISPOT, we did not find any significant variation of the spot range number of IL-13, IL-4 and IFN-gamma secreting cells, irrespective of H. pylori status. After antigenic exposition, the spot range for IL-13, IL-4 and IFN-gamma significantly increased (p<.0001) only in H. pylori-positive patients. A prevalent Th1 (IFN-gamma) immunoresponse was observed in 2/23 cases with active gastritis, while a prevalent Th2 (IL-13 and IL-4) was detected in 5/23 cases all with atrophic chronic gastritis of whom two with intestinal metaplasia. By immunohistochemistry, IL-13, IL-4 and IFN-gamma were detectable in all cases directly related to the inflammatory infiltrate. In the two cases with intestinal metaplasia, IL-13 and IL-4 were localised in both inflammatory and epithelial cells. This immunopattern was confirmed in selected additional 10 cases of H. pylori-positive chronic atrophic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia and 10 cases of intestinal type gastric cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary results suggest that IL-13 could be implicated in the different outcome of H. pylori infection.
Marotti
B
B
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Gastroenterology Unit, University of Naples "Federico II", Italy.
Rocco
A
A
De Colibus
P
P
Compare
D
D
de Nucci
G
G
Staibano
S
S
Tatangelo
F
F
Romano
M
M
Nardone
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018793:Interleukin-13; C080866:cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma