HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION ACCELERATES GENE-EXPRESSION OF GLICENTIN IN THE GASTRIC-MUCOSA - ITS ASSOCIATION WITH INTESTINAL METAPLASIA OF THE STOMACH

Background: Glicentin is an intestinal polypeptide hormone which seems to promote intestinal metaplasia (IM) in the gastric mucosa. The aim of this study was to clarify whether Helicobacter pylori infection acc elerates glicentin gene expression. Method: Glicentin mRNA was investi gated by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction using gastric biopsies from 47 patients examined endoscopically and denying IM. Res ults: IM was observed in 18 (38.3%) cases histologically, but not in t he other 29 (62.7%). Glicentin mRNA was significantly correlated with histological IM (P < 0.01) and was positively correlated with H. pylor i infection (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our results indicate that H. pylor i infection is associated with the induction of glicentin in the gastr ic mucosa, thus supporting the hypothesis that H. pylori infection acc elerates IM of the stomach.