Effect of eradication of Helicobacter pylori on the expression of telomerase-associated genes and c-myc protein / 中华消化杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the expression of telomerase-associated genes and c-myc protein before and after eradication of Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori) and to elucidate the possible correlation between human telemerase catalytic subunit(hTERT) and human telomerase RNA(hTR) and c-myc protein. Methods Thirty nine H.pylori positive and 21 negative patients were enrolled. The expression of hTR,hTERT and c-myc protein before and after H.pylori eradication were compared. The expression of hTR was determined by in situ RNA hybridization whereas hTERT and c-myc protein were detected by immunohistochemical staining. Results Before treatment,the positive expression of hTR,hTERT and c-myc protein in H.pylori -positive group were significantly higher than those in H.pylori -negative group(51.3% vs. 19.0%,53.8% vs. 23.8% ,53.8% vs. 28.6%,P 0.05). Conclusions H.pylori infection may upregulate the expression of hTERT by inducing the overexpression of c-myc protein,which can cause telomerase activation and gastric carcinogenesis. The expression of telomerase-associated genes and c-myc protein may decrease or disappear after H.pylori eradication,which can lower the risk of gastric carcinogenesis.