RECEPTOR STATUS IN NORMAL AND INFLAMED GASTRIC-MUCOSA

No documented studies have been reported on the presence of B1 and B2 kinin receptors in the mammalian gastric mucosa. This first study aime d to immunolocalise sites of B1 and B2 kinin receptors in the human py loric gastric mucosa and to evaluate its role in gastritis. Biopsies w ere obtained from patients with dyspepsia during endoscopic examinatio n of the patient, The diagnosis and grading of the gastritis was perfo rmed on histological examination. Sections were immunostained for both B1 and B2 receptors using rabbit anti-human B1 and B2 kinin receptor antibodies. Control tissue was obtained from partial gastrectomy speci mens, following surgical excision of the antrum for duodenal ulcers. T he control antrum tissue showed strong immunoreactivity for kinin B2 r eceptors with positivity noted along the luminal border, at the base o f the mucous and stem cells. The B1 receptor was not immunolocalised. Biopsies of all five patients with gastritis showed a decrease in immu nolabelling of the B2 receptor and an induction of the B1 receptor esp ecially in regenerating cells. In gastritis there is destruction of th e normal mucosal glandular architecture with subsequent regeneration o f the epithelial eels. The pyloric glands are infiltrated by acute inf lammatory cells that cause crypt abscesses with loss of the epithelial cell membranes. This may explain the reduction in the immunolocalisat ion of the B2 kinin receptors and the induction of the B1 receptors in active gastritis. Follow up studies after treatment of the inflammati on with a combination of B1/B2 kinin receptor antagonists are indicate d.