Pathologic Changes in the Glandular Stomach and Duodenum in an H. pylori-infected Mongolian Gerbil Model

Abstract

We have established a Helicobacter pylori-infected Mongolian gerbil model following Hirayama's method to investigate gastric diseases associated with H. pylori infection. We orally administered the culture broth of H. pylori ATCC 43504 to 8-week-old male Mongolian gerbils. After this, the gerbils were fed in a vinyl isolator. Subsequently, over the course of 48 weeks some of them were sacrificed for histopathologic examination and H. pylori culture. H. pylori colonization in the glandular stomach was seen in all the infected gerbils but only a few H. pylori were detected histologically. Acute inflammation, immature epithelium, and erosion were observed 2 weeks after H. pylori infection. Chronic inflammation was noted from 4 weeks after H. pylori infection. In addition, we found intestinal metaplasia and gastric ulcers from 12 and 24 weeks, respectively. There was mild to moderate inflammation in the duodenum but no ulcerative lesions or gastric metaplasia were observed. Some histologic findings were similar to those in humans, but inflammation occurred mainly in the deep mucosa and submucosa. This is a good animal model for H. pylori-associated gastric diseases but not for duodenal ulcers or gastric metaplasia. It might be useful for investigating the pathogenesis of H. pylori infection in the stomach.

Influence of Helicobacter pylori infection on development of stress-induced gastric mucosal injury

“…The animals were subjected to water-immersion 12 weeks after H. pylori infection, when chronic gastritis, but not ulcers, was known to be present. 16 According to the method of Takagi and Okabe, 17 each animal was restrained and immersed in water at 21°C in an upright position, up to its xiphoid process, for 30, 120, or 720 min. Immediately after the immersion, the stomach was removed, and an incision was made along the greater curvature.…”

Effect of Probiotics and Triple Eradication Therapy on the Cyclooxygenase (COX)‐2 Expression, Apoptosis, and Functional Gastric Mucosal Impairment in Helicobacter pylori‐Infected Mongolian Gerbils

“…Sawada et al revealed that acute inflammation, immature epithelium, and erosions were observed already 2 weeks after H. pylori infection, whereas chronic inflammation was noticed 4 weeks upon H. pylori infection. In addition, they found that gastric ulcers and intestinal metaplasia develop from 12 to 24 weeks, respectively [9].…”

Long-Term Infection of Mongolian Gerbils withHelicobacter pylori:Microbiological, Histopathological, and Serological Analyses

“…Since Hirayama et al (10) reported the establishment of persistent H. pylori infection in Mongolian gerbils as an animal model in 1996, many investigations on the association between H. pylori and gastric diseases have been carried out (12,17,21,29,30) and, recently, some reported that H. pylori was directly related to gastric carcinogenesis (9,11,32,40). The purposes of almost all of the studies which have ever been carried out were predominantly focused on the measurement of the amount of gastric colonization, the serum antibody titer against H. pylori, and histopathological observation of the stomach.…”