Evaluation of the association between serum anti-Lewis X antibody and inflammatory infiltration into the gastric mucosa infected with Helicobacter pylori

BACKGROUND: Lipopolysaccharides of Helicobacter pylori have an antigenic structure that mimics Lewis X occurring in gastric mucosa. The pathogenic role of antigenic mimicry in Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis has been of recent interest. AIM: To examine whether this molecular mimicry affects gastric mucosal inflammation in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori. PATIENTS: A total of 59 patients (mean age 58.0 years, 35 males, 24 females) were studied. METHODS: Serum samples were collected to measure IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori and Lewis X. Biopsy specimens were obtained from the antrum and corpus for the grading of gastritis. Correlation coefficients between serum Lewis X antibody titre and histological grades of inflammatory infiltration were determined. RESULTS: There was no significant correlation between anti-Lewis X antibody titre and the grade of mononuclear or polymorphonuclear cell infiltration. High titre of anti-Lewis X antibody was seen only in patients who had increased inflammatory infiltration in the corpus. CONCLUSIONS: Serum anti-Lewis X antibody, possibly induced by Helicobacter pylori infection, does not seem to play a major role in gastric mucosal inflammation in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection.