title: Helicobacter pylori eradication increases telomere length in gastric mucosa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose in this study was to analyze telomere length and telomerase activity before and after eradication treatment in gastric mucosa in patients positive for H. pylori.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were two groups: a control group (n=17) and a study group (n=21). For H. pylori eradication, the patients were administrated proton pump inhibitor (PPI) + clarithromycin + amoxicillin or PPI + metronidazole + tetracycline + bismuth for 14 days. Telomere length was analyzed with RT-PCR and telomerase activity with PCR-ELISA on biopsy specimens from the antrum. The result p<0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prior to eradication, there was no significant difference between telomere lengths of the patient and control groups (2481.2±1823 and 2958.9±1345.7 bp, p=0.11, respectively). The telomere length of the study group became longer after eradication (before 2481.2±1823bp, after 3766.3±1608.8bp, p=0.01). Telomerase activity was not detected in either the patient or the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increase in telomere length was observed with H. pylori eradication. This finding may indicate the importance of H. pylori eradication to avoid the development of gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ondokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Medicine, Samsum, Turkey. rahmiaslan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Rahmi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bektas
authors.forename: Abdulkerim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bedir
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alacam
authors.forename: Melek Suzer
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.forename: Rukiye
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nar
authors.forename: Beytullah
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Goren
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ecemis
authors.forename: Muge
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ustaoglu
authors.forename: Fikret
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Goren
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okuyucu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism; D016615:Telomere / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D059505:Telomere Homeostasis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D019098:Telomerase