GASTRIC-JUICE LEVELS OF LACTOFERRIN AND HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION

Background: Recently, in vitro studies suggested that lactoferrin (Lf) might play an important role in the physiopathology of Helicobacter p ylori-associated gastritis. However, whether Lf is present in the gast ric juice and its relationship with H. pylori infection have not as ye t been reported. In the present investigation the presence of Lf in ga stric juice and its correlation with H. pylori infection were assessed . Methods: This study comprised 30 H. pylori-positive and 14 -negative patients with chronic gastritis. Gastric juice levels of Lf were meas ured with enzyme-linked immunoassays. Gastric juice concentration of L f was also investigated in accordance with the histologic findings of biopsy specimens in the gastric body and antrum. Results: Lf concentra tion in gastric juice was significantly higher in H. pylori-positive t han in -negative patients (P = 0.033). The pH values are known to infl uence the levels of Lf. However, intragastric Lf levels were also sign ificantly increased in H. pylori-positive patients as compared with H. pylori-negative patients after correcting the Lf levels for pH values (P = 0.029) or after adjusting the pH values of the gastric juice wit h NaHCO3 solution in both groups of patients (P = 0.0007). In addition , the gastric juice levels of Lf correlated significantly with the gas tric mucosal concentrations of Lf in the gastric body (P < 0.005, r = 0.568) and the antrum (P < 0.05, r = 0.401). Conclusions: This study s howed for the first time that Lf is present in gastric juice and that it correlates with H. pylori infection. Lf may constitute a good marke r for H. pylori-associated gastritis. Although correlation does not pr ove causation, this study suggests that Lf might play an important rol e in the physiopathology of H. pylori-associated gastritis.