title: Helicobacter pylori Infection Enhances Gastric Mucosal Inflammation in Individuals Carrying the 260-T Allele of the CD14 Gene.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aim to evaluate the association between promoter polymorphism of the clusters of differentiation 14 (CD14) gene and Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric mucosal inflammation in a healthy Korean population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 267 healthy subjects who visited our hospital for free nationwide gastric cancer screening. Promoter polymorphism at -260 C/T of the CD14 gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The severity of gastric mucosal inflammation was estimated by a gastritis score based on the sum of the values of the grade and activity of the gastritis. Expression of soluble CD14 (sCD14) was assessed by quantitative sandwich ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD14 polymorphism was not associated with H. pylori infection. There were no significant differences in gastritis scores among the genotype subgroups, but subjects carrying the CD14 -260 CT/TT genotype had significantly higher sCD14 levels than those carrying the CC genotype. Subjects with the 260-T allele of the CD14 gene and H. pylori infection had significantly higher sCD14 levels than those with the same genotype but without infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In individuals with the T allele at the -260 site of the promoter region of the CD14 gene, H. pylori infection accentuates gastric mucosal inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Woo Chul
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Kang-Moon
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chang Nyol
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Paik
authors.forename: Sang Bae
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: You Suk
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Yang Woon
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung-Goo
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Seung June
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Noh
keywords: CD14; Gastritis; Genetic polymorphism; Helicobacter pylori