H pyloriinfection causes chronic pancreatitis in Mongolian gerbils

Abstract

AIM: To investigate whether chronic H pylori infectionhas the potential to induce pancreatitis in the Mongolian gerbil model, and whether it is dependent on an intact type Ⅳ secretion system. METHODS:Mongolian gerbils were infected with wild type (WT) H pylori typeⅠstrain B128 or its isogenic mutant B128 ∆cagY (defective type Ⅳ secretion). After seven months of infection, H pylori was reisolated from antrum and corpus and H pylori DNA was analyzed by seminested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Inflammation and histological changes were documented in the gastric antrum, corpus, and pancreas by immunohistochemistry. Cytokine mRNA, gastric pH, plasma gastrin, amylase, lipase, and glucose levels were determined. RESULTS:The H pylori infection rate was 95%.Eight infected animals, but none of the uninfected g r o u p , d e v e l o p e d t r a n s m u r a l i n f l a m m a t i o n a n d chronic pancreatitis. Extensive interstitial fibrosis and inflammation of the pancreatic lobe adjacent to the antrum was confirmed by trichrome stain, and immunohistochemically. Pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA was significantly increased in the antral mucosa of all infected gerbils. In the corpus, only cytokine levels of WT-infected animals and those developing transmural inflammation and pancreatitis were significantly increased. Levels of lipase, but not glucose or amylase levels, were significantly reduced in the pancreatitis group. H pylori DNA was detected in infected antral and corpus tissue, but not in the pancreas.CONCLUSION: H pylori infection is able to induce chronic pancreatitis in Mongolian gerbils independently of the type Ⅳ secretion system, probably by an indirect mechanism associated with a penetrating ulcer.

Characterization of intestinal microbiota in alcoholic patients with and without alcoholic hepatitis or chronic alcoholic pancreatitis

“…Previous studies have suggested that some bacteria may be involved in the pathogenesis of pancreatic diseases. Granulicatella adiacens and Streptococcus mitis from the oral microbiota have been shown to be associated with chronic pancreatitis 13 while Helicobacter pylori infection has been shown to be associated with autoimmune pancreatitis 18 . Microorganisms may infect the pancreas through ascending gastric infections or retrograde transfer from the small intestine 19 .…”

Serum Protein Signatures Differentiating Autoimmune Pancreatitis versus Pancreatic Cancer

“…A possible interconnection between Helicobacter pylori infection and AIP has been reported [19] . Several laboratories suggested a molecular mimicry as a cause, wherein antibodies directed towards H. pylori proteins also bind to body-own peptide sequences and induce an immune response in the pancreas [32] – [36] . Notably, in a recent work, it was shown that in 19 out of 20 screened AIP patients, autoantibodies against plasminogen-binding proteins from H. pylori were found, which were likely a useful serologic marker to distinguish AIP from PaCa and CP [19] .…”

Roles of Commensal Microbiota in Pancreas Homeostasis and Pancreatic Pathologies

“…Opportunistic microorganisms have been implicated in the pathogenesis of pancreatic diseases, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and autoimmune pancreatitis, most notably the bacteria Helicobacter pylori [ 81 , 82 , 132 , 133 ] ( Table 2 ). In recent studies, an antigenic peptide of H. pylori was identified in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis and pancreatic adenocarcinoma [ 88 ].…”