Helicobacter pylori infection induces duodenitis and superficial duodenal ulcer in Mongolian gerbils

BACKGROUND: There is no direct evidence for an animal model of Helicobacter pylori induced duodenal ulcer. AIM: In this study we evaluated the roles of bacterial strain and age of experimental animals in induction of duodenitis and duodenal ulcer in Mongolian gerbils after H pylori infection. METHODS: Specific pathogen free Mongolian gerbils were inoculated orally with three bacterial strains (H pylori ATCC 43504, TN2GF4, and K-6, a clinical isolate from a patient with gastric cancer in our clinic). These strains have both the cagA gene and VacA. Five week old gerbils were used to emulate prematurity infection and 14 week old animals were used as mature test subjects. Animals were observed for 12 weeks after inoculation. Interleukin 8 (IL-8) production in gastric epithelial cells (MKN74) after coculture with the H pylori strains was measured by ELISA. RESULTS: Gastritis and gastric ulcers were found in all gerbils infected with the three strains. However, duodenitis and gastric metaplasia were seen more frequently in gerbils infected with TN2GF4 and K-6 strains than in the ATCC 43504 infected or control groups (p<0.05). Superficial duodenal ulcers with severe duodenitis and gastric metaplasia were found in two gerbils inoculated at 14 weeks with the TN2GF4 strain but none at five weeks. The TN2GF4 strain stimulated significantly higher levels of IL-8 than ATCC 43504 and K6 strains (p=0.0039). CONCLUSIONS: When injected into adult Mongolian gerbils, a specific strain (TN2GF4) of H pylori can induce duodenitis with gastric metaplasia and superficial duodenal ulcers. Induction of duodenal ulcer in an animal model fulfills the requirements of Koch's postulates for establishing a role for H pylori as a causative agent.     

Scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach: A clinical and pathological study of 106 surgical cases

Clinical and pathological characteristics of scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach were studied in 106 cases treated by gastrectomy between 1973 and 1983. The male to female ratio was 0.58. The percentage of scirrhous carcinomas to all gastric carcinomas resected in the same period was three times higher in females than males. The age distribution of the patients suggested that there were two peaks in the forties and sixties in the male, and in the thirties and fifties in the female. The incidence of scirrhous carcinoma in all types of gastric carcinoma was significantly higher in the twenties, thirties and forties compared to the lowest incidence in the seventies. In the female group the primary lesion had a tendency to be adjacent to the fundic gland area and to avoid intestinal metaplasia. In the male the opposite was recognized. Cancer nests with single cells or only several cells were common in this type of carcinoma. These findings suggest that there might be two biologically different scirrhous carcinomas both in the male and the female, the appearance of single carcinoma cells might be favored by female sex hormones and young ages, and not only the original gastric mucosa but also mucosa with intestinal metaplasia could be precursors of single carcinoma cells.     

Differences in the effects of 20 K- and 22 K-hGH on water retention in rats.

Antidiuretic actions induced by two growth hormone (GH) isoforms (20 K- and 22 K-hGH; 0.2 and 2.0 mg/kg) were evaluated in rats, as fluid retention may cause oedema, one of the adverse effects of GH. Both GH isoforms (2.0 mg/kg) suppressed urine excretion in hypophysectomized rats (P< 0.01), but only the 22 K-hGH isoform (2.0 mg/kg) suppressed urine excretion in intact rats (P< 0.01). In addition, prolactin (PRL) suppressed urine excretion in intact rats (P< 0.05). In conclusion, 20 K-hGH has less potency in causing urine retention than 22 K-hGH and since 20 K-hGH is missing 15 amino acids found in 22 K-hGH, these amino acids may be important for the antidiuretic action of GH. Since prolactin suppressed urine excretion, a part of the antidiuretic action of GH may be related to PRL-R activation.     

Trends of hepatitis B virus genotype distribution in chronic hepatitis B patients in Japan

Journal of Gastroenterology - Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most prevalent chronic viral infections that causes chronic hepatitis B (CHB). In Japan, genotypes B and C account for most of...     

Progression from Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver to Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Cirrhosis Confirmed by Liver Histology after 14 Years

A 44-year-old patient progressed from nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) cirrhosis. She was diagnosed with NAFL via a liver biopsy. At 56 years old, she was diagnosed with NASH stage 3 via a second liver biopsy. One year later, she was diagnosed with NASH cirrhosis via a third liver biopsy. This is the first study to report the gradual deterioration of liver histology shown via three liver biopsies and fibrosis markers in a patient who progressed from NAFL to NASH cirrhosis. Following menopause, it is necessary to be aware of the rapid development of liver fibrosis.     

A Rare Case of Ectopic Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Syndrome with Recurrent Olfactory Neuroblastoma

A 40-year-old woman who had a history of recurrent olfactory neuroblastoma presented with full moon face, central obesity, buffalo hump, impaired glucose tolerance and bilateral cervical lymph node swelling. Laboratory tests showed morbidly elevated levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol, which were not suppressed by high-dose (8 mg) dexamethasone. Biopsies of the enlarged cervical lymph nodes revealed ACTH-positive metastatic olfactory neuroblastoma, and ectopic ACTH syndrome was diagnosed. Metyrapone was used to suppress cortisol production and resulted in decreased levels of ACTH and cortisol. Bilateral cervical tumor resection further reduced the ACTH and cortisol levels, accompanied by a reduction in the metyrapone dosage. Cushing''s syndrome was alleviated through ACTH-producing tumor removal.     

Evaluation of Ethanol on Gastric Epithelial Restoration in Vitro

Ethanol exerts damaging effects on gastric mucosa and delays ulcer healing. To investigate the effect of ethanol on the wound repairing process, we used a wound repair model using primary cultured gastric mucosal cells. A confluent monolayer gastric mucosal cell sheet consisting mainly of mucous cells was wounded to make a cell-free area of constant size. Cell-free area was restored with time after wounding and monitored every 12 hr using a computer image analyzer to observe epithelial cell restoration quantitatively in the presence and absence of ethanol (2.0%). It was found that, although the control wound was completely repaired in 36 to 48 hr, the group treated with 2.0% ethanol showed a significant delay of repair. In the control, 5-bromodeoxyuridine-positive cells appeared around the wound in 24 to 36 hr. In contrast, the group treated with 2.0% ethanol showed no 5-bromodeoxyuridine-positive cells during the experiment. In conclusion, 2.0% ethanol retarded the repair of gastric mucosal restoration by inhibiting the initial gastric cell migration, followed by inhibition of proliferation of cells.     

Helicobacter pylori is a fragile bacteria when stored at low and ultra-low temperatures

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Usually, bacteria are cryopreserved for short-term storage at low and ultra-low temperatures. There are no reports as to whether Helicobacter pylori is a fragile bacteria when stored at low and ultra-low temperatures as compared with other intestinal bacteria. A study was done on seven H. pylori strains and other intestinal bacteria to compare different temperatures for storage of organisms in saline solution. METHODS: Seven H. pylori strains, specifically American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) strains 43504 and TN2GF4, and five strains isolated from the present patients were grown on a modified Skirrow's agar for H. pylori. Escherichia coli and Bacteroides distasonis, both representing isolates from the present patients, were grown on trypticase soy blood agar for E. coli, and EG agar for B. distasonis. Culture was for 4-5 days under microaerobic, aerobic and anaerobic conditions at 37 degrees C. Cells were harvested by scraping growth from the solid medium and into sterile saline. The cells were adjusted to concentrations of 109 viable cells/mL in saline and preserved at 4 degrees C, -20 degrees C, or -80 degrees C for 3 weeks before reculture under microaerobic, aerobic and anaerobic conditions at 37 degrees C for 7 days. After incubation, morphologically distinct colonies were counted, isolated, and identified by standard bacteriologic techniques. The H. pylori were morphologically analyzed by electronic microscopy before and after preservation. Mongolian gerbils were inoculated with the cryopreserved H. pylori to evaluate the bacterial infectivity. RESULTS: Six of the seven H. pylori strains failed to culture after being preserved at 4 degrees C, -20 degrees C, or -80 degrees C. Only ATCC 43504 could be cultured after freezing at -80 degrees C. The number of H. pylori ATCC 43504 before preservation was 9.0 +/- 0.5 (log10 no. organisms/mL) and decreased to 5.7 +/- 0.6 after preservation. Morphologically, all H. pylori except ATCC 43504 strains transformed from a bacillary to a coccoid form after preservation. In addition, none of the H. pylori strains could infect Mongolian gerbils after preservation. Escherichia coli and B. distasonis were recovered. Titers before and after 4 degrees C, -20 degrees C, and -80 degrees C, respectively, were 9.1 +/- 0.2, 8.9 +/- 0.5, 8.6 +/- 0.3, and 8.7 +/- 0.3 for E. coli and 9.1 +/- 0.4, 8.7 +/- 0.6, 8.6 +/- 0.5, and 8.8 +/- 0.3 for B. distasonis. CONCLUSIONS: Helicobacter pylori is a fragile bacteria for storage at low and ultra-low temperatures in comparison with other intestinal bacteria.