J Korean Med Sci.  2010 Feb;25(2):265-271. 10.3346/jkms.2010.25.2.265.

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori Increases Ghrelin mRNA Expression in the Gastric Mucosa

• Lee ES
• Yoon YS
• Park CY
• Kim HS
• Um TH
• Baik HW
• Jang EJ
• Lee S
• Park HS
• Oh SW

• KMID: 1779258
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2010.25.2.265

Abstract

It has been suggested that Helicobacter pylori eradication may influence production of some peptides in the stomach, which can affect appetite. This hypothesis is controversial. To verify the hypothesis, we conducted this randomized controlled trial using H. pylori infected subjects without any gastrointestinal symptoms. The treatment group received triple H. pylori eradication therapy for 7 days and the control group received no medication. We measured ghrelin, obestatin and the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA levels in endoscopic biopsy specimens and the changes from baseline to follow-up. The plasma active n-octanoyl ghrelin and obestatin levels were measured in both groups. The ghrelin/obestatin ratios in plasma and gastric mRNA expression were calculated at baseline and follow-up. Ghrelin mRNA expression in the fundic mucosa after H. pylori eradication increased significantly compared to the control group (4.47+/-2.14 vs. 1.79+/-0.96, P=0.009), independent of inflammatory changes. However, obestatin mRNA expression decreased in the antral mucosa (-0.57+/-1.06 vs. 0.41+/-0.72, P=0.028). The treatment group showed a marginal increase (P=0.060) in plasma ghrelin/obestatin ratio. The TNF-alpha mRNA expression also decreased significantly with treatment. This randomized controlled trial demonstrates that H. pylori eradication increases ghrelin mRNA expression, independent of inflammatory cell changes.

Keyword

Ghrelin; Helicobacter pylori; Appetite; Gastritis

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use
Female
Gastric Mucosa/*metabolism/microbiology
Gastroscopy
Ghrelin/blood/genetics/*metabolism
Helicobacter Infections/drug therapy/genetics/*metabolism
*Helicobacter pylori
Humans
Male
RNA, Messenger/metabolism
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics/metabolism
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Ghrelin
RNA, Messenger
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Flow chart of the study.

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  Fig. 2 The ghrelin mRNA expression level of gastric mucosa between baseline and 5 weeks later in the group with or without H. pylori eradication. *P<0.001 by paired t test; †P<0.05 by t-test. The changes of ghrelin mRNA expression levels in the gastric mucosa from baseline to 5 weeks later were compared in each group.

• 

  Fig. 3 The changes of gastric ghrelin mRNA expression levels in the treatment group before and after H. pylori eradication therapy (A) and in the control group between baseline and 5 weeks later (B).

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