Virulence factors of Helicobacter pylori vacA increase markedly gastric mucosal TGF-β1 mRNA expression in gastritis patients.
OBJECTIVE
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the main cause of gastric inflammation. Regulatory T cells (Treg cells) suppress the activation and proliferation of antigen-specific T cells and mediate immunologic tolerance. TGF-β1 was shown to be secreted in a subset of Treg cells known as 'Th3 cells'. These cells have not been sufficiently studied in context to H. pylori-induced inflammation in human gastric mucosa. In this study we therefore, aimed to investigate the expression of TGF-β1 in the context of H. pylori colonization in chronic gastritis, to examine the relationship between it and histopathologic findings and to compare it with virulence factors.


METHODS
Total RNA was extracted from gastric biopsies of 48 H. pylori-infected patients and 38 H. pylori-negative patients with gastritis. Mucosal TGF-β1 mRNA expression in H. pylori-infected and uninfected gastric biopsies was determined by real-time PCR. Presence of vacA, cagA, iceA, babA2 and oipA virulence factors was evaluated using PCR.


RESULTS
TGF-β1 mRNA expression was significantly increased in biopsies of H. pylori-infected patients compared to H. pylori-uninfected patients. There was association between virulence factors and TGF-β1 mRNA expression. TGF-β1 mRNA expression in mucosa was significantly higher in patients with vacA s1 and s1m1.


CONCLUSIONS
TGF-β1 may play an important role in the inflammatory response and promote the chronic and persistent inflammatory changes in the gastric. This may ultimately influence the outcome of H. pylori-associated diseases that arise within the context of gastritis and vacA may suffice to induce expression of TGF-β1 mRNA.
Department of Internal Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
Ghorbanali
G
Rahimian
Department of Pathology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Mohammad Hosein
MH
Sanei
Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran. Electronic address: Shirzadeh@SKUMS.ac.ir.
Hedayatollah
H
Shirzad
Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
Fatemeh
F
Azadegan-Dehkordi
Department of Internal Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
Afshin
A
Taghikhani
Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
Loghman
L
Salimzadeh
Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
Morteza
M
Hashemzadeh-Chaleshtori
Medical Plants Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
Mahmoud
M
Rafieian-Kopaei
Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: n.bagheri1985@gmail.com.
Nader
N
Bagheri
D000328:Adult; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C074689:VacA protein, Helicobacter pylori; D037521:Virulence Factors
Gastritis; Helicobacter pylori; TGF-β1; Virulence factors