Immunohistochemical study of lymphocyte populations infiltrating the gastric mucosa of beagle dogs experimentally infected with Helicobacter pylori

Experimental infection of beagle dogs with Helicobacter pylori induces recr uitment to the gastric mucosae of neutrophils at early stages and later of mononuclear cells that organize into lymphoid follicles. These structures b ecome macroscopically evident and consist of peripheral CD4(+) T lymphocyte s and central CD21(+) B lymphocytes. Furthermore, transient expression of i nterleukin-8 (IL-8) parallels the presence of neutrophils in the gastric mu cosae, whereas expression of IL-6 tends to persist chronically.