Open AccessPresence of human mycoplasma DNA in gastric tissue samples from Korean chronic gastritis patients
Author(s) -
Kwon HyukJoon,
Kang JeongOk,
Cho SunHee,
Kang HeeBum,
Kang KyungAh,
Kim JeongKi,
Kang YoonSuk,
Song ByungCheol,
Kang HyunWook,
Shim MiJa,
Kim HeeSun,
Kim YoungBae,
Hahm KiBaeg,
Kim BumJoon,
Kook MyeongCherl,
Chung MyungHee,
Hyun JinWon
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
cancer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.035
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1349-7006
pISSN - 1347-9032
DOI - 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2004.tb03208.x
Subject(s) - mycoplasma , chronic gastritis , helicobacter pylori , gastritis , biology , proinflammatory cytokine , immunology , immune system , carcinogenesis , intestinal metaplasia , cancer , gastroenterology , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , inflammation , genetics
We aimed to determine whether mycoplasmas are present in Korean chronic gastritis, and to understand their roles in gastric cancer tumorigenesis, because mycoplasmas resemble Helicobacter pylori in terms of ammonia production and induction of inflammatory cytokines in immune and non‐immune cells. The presence and identity of mycoplasmas were assessed by semi‐nested PCR and sequencing, and the results were compared with pathologic data. Fifty‐six samples collected from Korean chronic gastritis patients were used for this study. Twenty‐three (41.1%) were positive for mycoplasmas. Eighteen sequenced samples contained a single human mycoplasma or two mycoplasmas, which were identified as Mycoplasma faucium (13/18), M. fermentans (3/18), M. orale (1/18), M. salivarium (2/18), and M. spermatophilum (1/18). Mycoplasma‐infected chronic gastritis samples showed significantly more severe neutrophil infiltration than non‐infected samples (P=0.0135). Mycoplasma profiles in the oral cavity (M. salivarium is major) and stomach were different, and the presence of significant proinflammatory responses in mycoplasmapositive patients suggests that the mycoplasmas are not simply contaminants. Further studies are required to understand whether mycoplasmas play a role in gastric tumorigenesis.