Effect of Helicobacter pylori infection on gastric mucosal cell proliferation in Mongolian gerbils]

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection can induce adenocarcinoma in Mongolian gerbil model with long-term H. pylori infection. METHODS: Mongolian gerbil model with long-term H. pylori infection was established by inoculation H. pylori NCTC 11637 strain, and immunohistochemical straining and in situ hybridization were employed to observe changes in gastric mucosal cell proliferation due to H. pylori infection. RESULTS: Mongolian gerbil model with long-term H. pylori infection was successfully established. Immunohistochemical staining of 5'-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and proliferating cell nuclei antigen (PCNA) showed that H. pylori infection induced the increase in gastric mucosal cell proliferation (P<0.05), and in situ hybridization of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) revealed elevated expressions of EGF mRNA and EGFR mRNA with time passage after H. pylori infection (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: H. pylori inoculation can induce abnormality in gastric mucosal cell proliferation, which is instrumental for the progression from chronic gastritis to glandular atrophy, intestinal metaplasis and ultimately to atypical hyperplasia. The abnormal expressions of EGF and EGFR may be the key element for abnormality of gastric mucosal cell proliferation.