Korean J Pediatr Infect Dis.  2007 May;14(1):97-103. 10.14776/kjpid.2007.14.1.97.

Expression of lewis antigen in gastric mucosa of child ren with Helicobacter pylori infection

• Chung JY
• Lim SJ
• Han TH

• KMID: 2439969
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14776/kjpid.2007.14.1.97

Abstract

PURPOSE
Lewis antigen has been known to have a role in the attachment of H. pylori to the gastric mucosa, but its expression pattern in children with H. pylori infection is still unclear. The recently described blood group antigen-binding adhesin BabA is known to mediate adherence of H. pylori to Lewis B receptors on gastric epithelium. We investigated the expression of Lewis antigen in gastric mucosa of Korean children with H. pylori infection.
METHODS
The expression of Lewis A (Le(a)), B (Le(b)), X (Le(x)), and Y (Le(y)) was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in H. pylori positive biopsy specimens from 35 children (antral gastritis in 30, peptic ulcer in 5) and in H. pylori negative specimens from 19 children. PCR assays for cagA and babA2 gene of H. pylori were performed.
RESULTS
We confirmed the expression of Le(a) in 60%, Le(b) in 97%, Le(x) in 100%, and Le(y) in 100% of the superficial epithelium of the 35 H. pylori positive children. In H. pylori negative patients, Le(a), Le(b), Le(x), and Le(y) expression was 52%, 100%, 89%, and 100%, respectively. The cagA gene was detected in 65% and babA2 gene in 25% of 35 patients. No differences in neutrophil activity and chronic inflammation were found according to the presence of cagA and babA2 genes in H. pylori.
CONCLUSION
Le(b), Le(x) and Le(y) antigen were highly expressed in gastric mucosa of Korean children, but they were not associated with the status of H. pylori infection and the positivity of babA2 gene. Further studies for other mucosal receptors and toxins are needed to define the immune responses to H. pylori infection in gastric mucosa of Korean children.

Keyword

Helicobacter pylori; Lewis antigen; Children; BabA2

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Child*
Epithelium
Gastric Mucosa*
Gastritis
Helicobacter pylori*
Helicobacter*
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Inflammation
Neutrophils
Peptic Ulcer
Polymerase Chain Reaction