Proinflammatory activation of neutrophils and monocytes by Helicobacter pylori in patients with different clinical presentations

Chronic Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with mucosal inflammati on. The aim of the present study was to assess human neutrophil and monocyt e activation by H. pylori strains obtained from patients with different cli nical presentations. Bacterial sonicates from 12 strains were used to stimu late phagocyte upregulation of CD11b/CD18 adherence molecules assessed by f luorescence flow cytometry and oxidative burst responses assessed by chemil uminescence. A dose-dependent activation of CD11b/CD18 adherence molecules was observed with all strains on both neutrophils and monocytes. The activi ties were similar for strains from patients with duodenal ulceration and fo r strains from asymptomatic volunteers irrespective of histopathologic grad es of the biopsy specimens from the antral mucosa. The neutrophil chemilumi nescence response correlated with histopathologic severity. We conclude tha t upregulation of neutrophil and monocyte adherence molecules by H. pylori sonicates is not associated with clinical presentation of the infection.