MUCOSAL TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA, INTERLEUKIN-1-BETA, AND INTERLEUKIN-8 PRODUCTION IN PATIENTS WITH HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION

We investigated whether tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), inter leukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) are involved in th e inflammatory reaction of Helicobacter pylori infection. In 23 patien ts with H. pylori infection and 16 patients with negative cultures for H. pylori and normal antral mucosa, the mucosal production of TNF-alp ha, IL-1 beta, and IL-8 was measured in antral biopsy specimens after 23 h of in vitro culture. The levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta appear ed to be significantly higher in H. pylori-positive patients (p = 0.00 02 for both TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta). IL-8 production was also higher in H. pylori-infected subjects, but this difference did not reach stat istical significance (p = 0.057). No significant differences were foun d between the level of the cytokines in H. pylori-infected patients wi th or without duodenal ulcer disease. A strong correlation was found b etween the production of IL-1 beta and IL-8. The biologic effects of t hese cytokines may explain the conspicuous recruitment, influx, and ac tivation of neutrophils in the gastric mucosa during H. pylori infecti on.