MUC 1 mucin content in gastric juice of duodenal ulcer patients: effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy

It has been suggested that Helicobacter pylori can interact via carbohydrate structures with gastric mucins. Particularly, the Lewis b structures of the secretory MUC 5AC mucin are considered to be putative receptors for bacterial adhesins. Also the epithelial MUC 1 mucin is implicated by some authors to have a major role in the mechanism of infection. The main objective of our study was to evaluate MUC 1 mucin levels in human gastric juice before and at the end of eradication therapy. Any possible changes could suggest the participation of MUC 1 in H. pylori infection. We assume that the amount of the soluble form of MUC 1 exfoliated to the juice correlates with MUC 1 expressed on epithelial cells. Gastric juice samples of 14 duodenal ulcer patients infected with H. pylori were assayed before and at the end of eradication. In all samples, DNA content was determined. Mucin fractions were isolated by gel exclusion chromatography. High molecular mass material containing MUC 1 was subjected to 4%–12% polyacrylamide gradient gels, electrotransfer to Immobilon P and immunodetection. In 12 infected patients (86%), the initial low level of MUC 1 mucin in gastric juice increased at the end of eradication. In comparison to the infected patients, neutral carbohydrate and DNA content in gastric juice diminished after treatment. Our results indicate that the bacterium affects the soluble form of MUC 1 mucin, thus suggesting a likely role of this mucin in the course of H. pylori infection.