INCREASED MUCOSAL INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES IN CHILDREN WITH HELICOBACTER-PYLORI-ASSOCIATED GASTRITIS

The concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interl eukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-1-beta in tissue homogenates of gastric mucosal biopsy specimens, and in gastric juice samples from Helicobacter pylor i-positive and -negative children, were determined. The study populati on comprised 30 children with recurrent abdominal pain attending upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Of these patients 18 were infected with H . pylori. Cytokine concentrations in gastric biopsy homogenate superna tants and in gastric juice were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorben t assay (ELISA). TNF-alpha levels in gastric juice and in gastric biop sy homogenate supernatants in patients with H. pylori-positive gastrit is were found to be significantly higher than those in children withou t H. pylori infection. IL-6 levels were also higher in H. pylori-infec ted subjects, but the difference in IL-6 concentrations measured in ga stric juice and biopsy homogenate supernatants did not reach statistic al significance. IL-1-beta concentrations in both specimens showed no significant difference between the two groups of children. It was sugg ested that increased levels of inflammatory cytokines, especially TNF- alpha and IL-6 generated locally within the gastric mucosa might be im plicated in the pathogenesis of H. pylori-associated gastritis in chil dhood.