Open AccessChanges in the mucosal expression of interleukin 15 in Helicobacter pylori ‐associated gastritis
Author(s) -
Luzza Francesco,
Parrello Tiziana,
Monteleone Giovanni,
Sebkova Ladislava,
Imeneo Maria,
Vecchia Annamaria,
Maletta Maria,
Docimo Corrado,
Pallone Francesco
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.1999.tb01288.x
Subject(s) - helicobacter pylori , caga , gastritis , spirillaceae , gastric mucosa , gastroenterology , biology , serology , medicine , immunology , stomach , antibody , gene , virulence , biochemistry
Transcripts for interleukin (IL) 15 were detected in the gastric mucosal samples of 5/5 (100%) patients with no evidence of Helicobacter pylori infection and in 4/14 (28%) H. pylori ‐infected patients ( P <0.05 ). Both IL‐15 mRNA and IL‐15 protein were detected in 1/6 (17%) patients who successfully underwent H. pylori eradication therapy, before treatment and in 5/6 (83%) cases after eradication. Even though a parallel significant ( P <0.03 ) improvement of gastritis score occurred after eradication, the severity of gastritis did not differ according to the mucosal IL‐15 expression among H. pylori ‐infected patients, irrespective of the CagA serology. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that transcripts for IL‐15 are expressed in the human gastric mucosa. Changes occurring during H. pylori colonisation and after eradication raise the hypothesis that H. pylori may down‐regulate IL‐15 expression in the gastric mucosa.