EFFECT OF REBAMIPIDE, A NOVEL ANTIULCER AGENT, ON HELICOBACTER-PYLORIADHESION TO GASTRIC EPITHELIAL-CELLS

Helicobacter pylori is a major etiological agent in gastroduodenal dis orders. The adhesion of H. pylori to human gastric epithelial cells is the initial step of H. pylori infection. Inhibition of H, pylori adhe sion is thus a therapeutic target in the prevention of H, pylori infec tion. Experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of rebamipide, a novel antiulcer agent, on H. pylori adhesion to gastric epithelial cells. MKN-28 and MKN-45 cells, derived from human gastric carcinomas, were used as target cells. Ten H. pylori strains isolated from patien ts with chronic gastritis and gastric ulcer were used in the study. We evaluated the effect of rebamipide on H. pylori adhesion to MKN-28 an d MKN-45 cells quantitatively using our previously established enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay. The adhesion of H. pylori to MKN-28 and MK N-45 cells was significantly inhibited by pretreatment of these cells with 100 mu g of rebamipide per mi. However, the adhesion was not affe cted by the pretreatment of H. pylori with rebamipide. On the other ha nd, the viabilities of H. pylori, MKN-28 cells, and MKN-45 cells were not affected by rebamipide, Our studies suggest that rebamipide inhibi ts the adhesion of H. pylori to gastric epithelial cells.