Abstract
We investigated the relationship between apoptosis and gastric epithelial ceils infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Patients: Patients examined with included 24 with gastric ulcer(GU), 30 with duodenal ulcer(DU), and 7 with gastric and duodenal ulcer(GDU). The diagnosis was endoscopically determined, and H. pylori infection was confirmed either by bacterial culture or by histological examination. The control group consisted of 5 healthy volunteers. Methods: At endoscpical examination, six biopsy specimens were obtained from the stomach. Three were used for the apoptosis study, (the epithelial cells were fixed with 75% ethanol stained with Propidium Iodine and apoptotic ceils were determined by flowcytometry). The other three were used for a bacterial culture (H. pylori No. VTassay, Urease assay) and histological examination(gastritis score). Results: The percentages of apoptotic in the gastric epithelial ceils in GU, DU, GDU and healthy volunteers were 21.2_2.1%, 21.4±2.3%, 17.0_3.1%, and 7.4-+2.0% respectively. Statistical significance was noted between the ceils from the total H. pylori -positive patient group and those from the healthy volunteers (p < 0.05). Interestingly, the percentage of apoptosis in the cells from the DU patients in the active stage was significantly higher than those from DU patients in healing and scar stages. (30.3 -+ 4.8% vs 19.7 -+ 4.2% 16.9 -+ 2.3 p < 0.01). The percentage of apoptotic cells did not differ significantly between patients with different histological score, No. of H. pylori and VTassay. The percentage of apoptotic cells was correlated with urease activity. Conclusion: Apoptosis in the gastric epithelial cells is correlated not only with H. pylori infection, but also with the stage of peptic ulcer. Thus, apoptosis may be a useful marker for the mucosal damage evoked by 1-1. pylori infection.
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