CHEMOKINES IN THE GASTRIC-MUCOSA IN HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION

Background-Although chemokines have been suggested to play an importan t role in Helicobacter pylori associated gastritis, few studies have i nvestigated the role of chemokines other than interleukin 8 (IL-8) in gastric mucosa. Aims-To investigate the expression and production patt erns of various chemokines using gastric biopsy specimens. Methods-In 192 patients, expression patterns of C-X-C chemokines (IL-8 and growth regulated alpha (GRO alpha)) and C-C chemokines (regulated on activat ion, normal T cell expressed and presumably secreted (RANTES), monocyt e chemotactic and activating factor (MCAF), macrophage inflammatory pr otein 1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha), and MIP-1 beta) were examined using rever se transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). cagA gene was identified using PCR. Resul ts-H pylori infection was associated with increased rates of expressio n of mRNA for IL-8, GRO alpha, RANTES, and MIP-1 alpha and with increa sed levels of mucosal IL-8 and GRO alpha. IL-8 and GRO alpha levels co rrelated with the density of H pylori in both the antrum and corpus. T he levels of these chemokines correlated with cellular infiltration in the antrum but not the corpus. cagA gene positive H pylori infection was associated with increased rates of expression of mRNA for IL-8 and GRO alpha and with increased levels of these chemokines. Conclusion-H pylori infection is associated with increased expression rates and pr oduction of C-X-C chemokines (IL-8 and GRO alpha), but not with increa sed production of C-C chemokines. Although H pylori infection is assoc iated with increased C-X-C chemokines in the antrum and corpus, there is a difference in the inflammatory response between these two areas o f the stomach.