Expression of CXC and CC Chemokines in Gastric Mucosa Infected with Helicobacter pylori

Choi, Il Ju; Kim, Joo Sung; Jung, Hyun Chae; Kim, Jung Mogg; Lee, Kook Lae; Song, In Sung; Kim, Chung Yong

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To elucidate chemokine gene program in gastric mucosa infected with H. pylori, we quantified mRNA expression of CXC [growth-related oncogene alpha(GROalpha) and epithelial cell- derived neutrophil activating protein-78 (ENA-78)] and CC [macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)- 1alpha and MIP-1beta] chemokines.
METHODS
Forty-seven patients with dyspeptic symptoms undergoing diagnostic gastroduodenoscopy were enrolled. The presence of H. pylori was identified by histology and rapid urease test. RNA was extracted from gastric antral mucosa and quantitative RT-PCR was performed using synthetic standard RNA.
RESULTS
GROalpha and ENA-78 mRNA transcripts in H. pylori-infected mucosa showed 14- and 15-fold increase, as compared with non-infected mucosa, respectively (p<0.01). GROalpha and ENA-78 transcripts tended to be correlated with the degree of neutrophil infiltration. ENA-78 transcripts of patients with gastric ulcer were significantly higher than those of the non-ulcer patients (p<0.05). In case of MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta, statistical analysis for above parameters showed no significant difference in mRNA transcripts. After eradication of H. pylori, all of GROalpha, ENA-78, MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta transcripts significantly decreased, as compared with pre-treatment levels.
CONCLUSION
Upregulation of CXC chemokine genes may play a central role in gastric mucosal inflammation induced by H. pylori. Overexpression of ENA-78 gene may be important in the pathogenesis of gastric ulcer.