Expression of cytokines and monosaccharide transporters in the duodenal mucosa of patients with gastrointestinal symptoms in rural Thailand.

Levels of cytokines and GLUT family monosaccharide transporters in the duodenal mucosa were examined in patients from Nong Khai, Thailand, who had underwent gastroscopy because of gastrointestinal problems. Duodenal biopsy specimens were collected from a total of 33 patients (24 males and 9 females, 45.0 +/- 13.5 years old). Ten patients had present or recent intestinal helminth infections, including strongyloidiasis, taeniasis or ascariasis (group A), 7 were urease-test positive, indicating Helicobacter pylori infection (group B), and 16 had neither helminth infections nor urea-test positivity (group C). Total RNA was extracted from the biopsied specimens and a semi-quantitative RT-PCR was performed. The positivities for IL-13, IL-5 and IFN-gamma mRNA expressions in the patients were 24.2, 60.6 and 100%, respectively, with the highest IL-13 and IL-5 positivities in group A, followed by group C and B. The IL-5 positive rate was significantly higher among patients with high peripheral blood eosinophil counts (> 4%) than in patients with low peripheral blood eosinophil counts. GLUT-1 and GLUT-5 were detectable in all the patients. Although GLUT-1 expressions did not differ among groups A, B and C. GLUT-5 expressions were significantly lower in group B than in group C. These results indicate that helminth and H. pylori infections result in different immunopathological responses in the duodenal mucosa, lower expressions of type 2 cytokines and monosaccharide transporters in H. pylori infections than in helminth infections.

Serum gastrin and pepsinogen I, II concentrations in children with Helicobacter pylori infection: the role of CagA and VacA

Serum gastrin and pepsinogen concentrations were measured in 51 children infected with Helicobacter pylori, to investigate the clinical significance and influence of CagA and VacA on serum concentrations of these peptides. CagA+ was 44/51 (86%) and VacA+ was 42/51 (82%). Type I (CagA+/VacA+) included 39/51 (76%), type II (CagA-/VacA-) was 4/51 (8%), and intermediate (CagA-/VacA+, CagA+/VacA-) was 8/51 (16%). There was no significant correlation between endoscopic diagnosis and the state of CagA/VacA. Serum gastrin concentrations were not significantly correlated with the state of CagA/VacA. Serum pepsinogen I and II concentrations were significantly higher in CagA+ than in CagA-, but there was no significant difference between VacA+ and VacA-, Serum pepsinogen I/II ratio was not significantly correlated with the state of CagA/VacA. There was no significant difference between serum concentrations of gastrin, pepsinogen I and H. pylori phenotypes. However, pepsinogen II concentration was significantly higher in type I than type II. Pepsinogen I/II ratio was significantly lower in type I and intermediate than in type II. These findings suggest that CagA positively and phenotype of H. pylori could play a role in the development of upper gastrointestinal diseases in children.

Correlation of blood groups with congenital disorders and gastro intestinal diseases.

Blood group studies were conducted in 330 patients suffering from gastro intestinal disorders and 180 patients with congenital malformations and compared with normal subjects. Statistical analysis has shown that (a) there is significant correlation between B group and thalassaemia, (b) congenital malformations show higher incidence in B and O groups. It would be pertinent to draw attention to the fact that B group was found to be significantly correlated to duodenal ulcer from the present study contrary to the early reports. In addition, these observations show that blood groups are linked with diseases.