Potential relevance of agmatine for the genesis of gastrointestinal lesions

Background: The polyamine agmatine increases gastric acid secretion. We inv estigated whether Helicobacter pylori is able to form and release agmatine in-vitro and in the human stomach in-vivo, and if so, whether a relationshi p exists between agmatine concentration in gastric juice, H.p. infection an d gastroduodenal lesions. Methods: Agmatine was determined by means of HPLC. Results: In the supernatant of H.p. cultures, agmatine concentrations up to 1500 ng/ml were determined, depending on the number of the bacteria in the individual cultures. Agmatine concentration in gastric juice from H.p. pos itive patients was significantly higher than in that from h.p. negative pat ients. Conclusion: Hence, agmatine produced by H.p. may be a virulence factor of t his bacterium and may be involved in the pathogenesis of gastroduodenal les ions.