EFFECT OF HELICOBACTER-MUSTELAE INFECTION ON FERRET GASTRIC EPITHELIAL-CELL PROLIFERATION

The effect of Helicobacter mustelae infection on gastric epithelial pr oliferation was studied in ferrets colonized with H.mustelae and speci fic pathogen-free (SPF) ferrets not infected with H.mustelae. Thirteen H.mustelae-infected ferrets between the ages of 13 and 32 months and 16 SPF ferrets between 6 and 18 months were analyzed, Bacterial cultur es, urease tests and Warthin-Starry stains were used to identify H.mus telae. Tissues obtained from the antrum and the body regions of the st omach were assayed by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immuno histochemistry and measured using a computerized color image analysis system, PCNA-expressing gastric epithelia in the antrum and the body r egions were significantly increased in the H.mustelae-infected ferrets versus the SPF ferrets (P < 0.001). PCNA positivity in the antrum reg ions of both the H.mustelae-infected ferrets and SPF ferrets was signi ficantly higher than that of the body regions (P < 0.001). Comparison of the histopathology of infected ferrets indicated that PCNA positivi ty correlated with the histological severity of gastritis, This study suggests that cell proliferation in ferret gastric mucosa increases wi th H.mustelae infection and provides evidence that PCNA is a useful bi omarker for studying the changes in cell kinetics in the ferret stomac h, The data also further support the use of the H.mustelae-infected fe rret as an animal model for studying the pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric diseases of humans.