Effect of Helicobacter pylori Infection on Ghrelin Expression in Human Gastric Mucosa

Abstract

These data indicated that H. pylori infection affected ghrelin expression. After H. pylori eradication, gastric tissue ghrelin concentration increased significantly. This could lead to the increased appetite and weight gain seen following H. pylori eradication.

Changes in plasma ghrelin levels, gastric ghrelin production, and body weight after Helicobacter pylori cure

“…Since their report, it has been believed that plasma ghrelin concentrations increase after H. pylori cure owing to an increase in gastric ghrelin production, leading to body weight gain. 21,25 For example, Tatsuguchi et al 25 reported that the number of gastric ghrelin-positive cells increased after H. pylori eradication, consistent with our present data. Although they did not measure plasma ghrelin concentrations or body weight after H. pylori eradication, they speculated, in accordance with the report of Nwokolo et al, 26 that the increase in gastric ghrelin-positive cells would lead to increased plasma ghrelin levels, resulting in obesity.…”

“…6 Gastric ghrelin production is decreased by H. pylori infection 7 and increased by eradication therapy. 25 As ghrelin is a body weight-regulating peptide, much attention has been paid to nutritional status and the dynamics of gastric and plasma ghrelin in response to H. pylori infection. 19,21 Nwokolo et al 26 reported that plasma ghrelin levels increased after H. pylori cure in ten patients, a result that is inconsistent with our data.…”

Symptom Generation

“…H. pylori-infected patients were shown to have lower gastric ghrelin mRNA expression than uninfected subjects [18]. Furthermore, the suppression of ghrelin expression is correlated with severity of glandular atrophy and chronic inflammation in the gastric corpus.…”

Does Helicobacter pylori attack ghrelin-producing cells?

“…In terms of ghrelin-immunoreactive cells in the H. pylori-colonized stomach, Osawa et al 11 and Tatsuguchi et al 12 recently reported that the number of ghrelinimmunoreactive cells was significantly reduced in H. pylori-positive patients as compared with that in H. pylori-negative patients. It was also shown that, while the number of ghrelin-immunoreactive cells increased significantly after successful H. pylori eradication therapy, no significant change in the number of ghrelinimmunoreactive cells was observed after unsuccessful eradication.…”

“…It was also shown that, while the number of ghrelin-immunoreactive cells increased significantly after successful H. pylori eradication therapy, no significant change in the number of ghrelinimmunoreactive cells was observed after unsuccessful eradication. 12 As for plasma levels of ghrelin, Gokcel et al 13 reported the absence of any significant differences in plasma ghrelin levels between 24 H. pylori-positive female patients and 15 age-and BMI-matched H. pylorinegative female patients, and they concluded that H. pylori infection did not affect the plasma levels of ghrelin. However, Nwokolo et al 14 reported that, despite the absence of any significant changes in the BMI, both the integrated plasma ghrelin levels for 6 h and the integrated gastric acid secretion for 24 h were significantly increased in 10 H. pylori -positive patients (6 males, 4 females) at a time-point more than 6 weeks after H. pylori eradication.…”