Intensification of Helicobacter pylori colonization and serological markers of Helicobacter pylori infection and cytotoxicity in blood

UNLABELLED: Colonization of H. pylori bacteria on the surface of gastric epithelium is the first stage of infection in alimentary tract. Despite the local cell-mediated reaction, in the majority of patients there does not come to the elimination of bacteria: there develops an acute and then chronic inflammatory process. B lymphocytes begin the production of all classes of specific antibodies against H. pylori proteins presented to them. The number of anti-H. pylori antibodies increases both in gastric mucosa and in peripheral blood. According to some researchers the intensification of colonization influences the severity of inflammatory process. AIM OF THE STUDY: To assess whether on the basis of examination of anti-H. pylori and anti-CagA H. pylori surface antibodies in blood it may be concluded that there is an intensification of H. pylori colonization in the stomach. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study comprised 154 children aged 5-18 years (mean 13.6 +/- 3.6 years) with alimentary tract ailments: 99 children with active H. pylori infection (Hp+) and 55 children without current H. pylori infection (Hp_). In blood there were examined anti-H. pylori surface antigens IgG class (with ELISA), anti-CagA H. pylori antibodies IgG class (with ELISA), and in gastric mucosa specimens the intensification of H. pylori colonization was tested with the use of semi quantitative method. Statistic analyses were performed. RESULTS: Anti-H. pylori antibodies IgG class were present in the serum of 88.3% of the examined children, including in 96% of children from Hp+ group and 75% from Hp_ group. Anti-CagA H. pylori specific antibodies were found in 56.7% of children from Hp+ group and were not detected in Hp_ children. Spiral H. pylori forms were more frequently revealed in the prepyloric part of the stomach (of medium or small intensification) than in the corpus (of small intensification) (77.8% vs. 56.5%, p < 0.001). Positive correlation was demonstrated between the number of bacteria in tissue and index value of antibodies against anti-H. pylori surface antigens in serum (R = 0.45, p < 0.001) (particularly in the prepyloric part of the stomach) and high positive correlation was shown between density of spiral H. pylori bacteria in gastric mucosa bioptates and the occurrence of anti-CagA antibodies in serum (R = 0.59, p < 0.001) and index value of anti-CagA H. pylori antibodies in serum (R = 0.58, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: High concentrations of anti- H. pylori IgG class surface antibodies and occurrence of anti-CagA antibodies in blood correlate with high intensification of H. pylori colonization in the prepyloric part of the stomach.