title: The impact of Helicobacter pylori on EGF, EGF receptor, and the c-erb-B2 expression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increased expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF), its receptor (EGFR), and c-erb-B2 protein, which is homological with the EGF receptor, in gastric mucosa, may play a role in gastric carcinogenesis. We assessed if the infection and eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) affects the gastric expression of growth factors and serum gastrin concentrations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined immunohistochemically gastric EGF and both receptors' expression in: gastric cancer (GC; n=29), chronic gastritis with H. pylori infection (GHp+; n=40) before and after eradication and in patients without H. pylori infection (GHp-; n=42).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before the eradication therapy, gastric mucosal EGF and both receptor's expressions in GHp+ patients were increased compared to GHp- (p<0.05), but were similar to GC. After eradication, EGF and the receptor's expression significantly decreased in the gastric body. Both EGFR and c-erb-B2 expression in the antrum were still higher than in GHp- (p<0.05), and remained comparable to GC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with H. pylori infection the gastric mucosal EGF, EGFR, and c-erb-B2 expressions are similar to those observed in gastric cancer. The persistence of the antral expression of receptors after eradication, at a level comparable to the gastric cancer group, suggests their eventual role in the progression of changes initiated by H. pylori toward carcinogenesis.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. Electronic address: jurkowg@umb.edu.pl.
authors: Grażyna
authors: G
authors: Jurkowska
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Regional Hospital, Bialystok, Poland.
authors: Grażyna
authors: G
authors: Piotrowska-Staworko
authors: Department of Medical Pathomorphology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Guzińska-Ustymowicz
authors: Department of Medical Pathomorphology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors: Andrzej
authors: A
authors: Kemona
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors: Agnieszka
authors: A
authors: Świdnicka-Siergiejko
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Regional Hospital, Bialystok, Poland.
authors: Wiktor
authors: W
authors: Łaszewicz
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors: Andrzej
authors: A
authors: Dąbrowski
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C512478:EGFR protein, human; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human
keywords: Epidermal growth factor; Epidermal growth factor receptor; Helicobacter pylori infection; c-erB-2 protein