T and B Cell Repertoire in Gastric Lymph Follicles in Children With Helicobacter Pylori Infection

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori infection has been implicated in the development of gastrointestinal malignancy in adults and children. The histopathological processes that lead to such development are unknown. We compared the immune cell repertoire of mucosal lymph follicles in children with H. pylori infection to B cell type mucosal associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-lymphoma of adults. The B and T cell populations residing within the lymph follicles and/or within B cell type MALT lymphoma were characteriZed by an immunohistochemical technique, utilizing B and T cell markers including: CD3, CD4, CD8 (T cells); CD20, CD40, GD74, BLA36, CD80, CD86 (B cells). Stain intensity was compared between the samples. T cell repertoire was observed within the lymph follicles, but not in the B cell MALT-lymphoma specimens. No significant difference was observed between the staining of CD40, CD74, CD8, and BLA36. The B cell markers, CD80 and CD86, were found within the centrocytic zone of the lymph follicle. In the B cell repertoire, no significant difference was observed between the lymph follicles of children with H. pylori infection and the adult MALT-lymphoma specimens except in CD20. B and T cells were in close anatomical proximity, enabling them to interact and exchange immunological information.

Influence of Helicobacter Pylori Infection on Hepcidin Expression in the Gastric Mucosa

“…Moreover, our results demonstrated that lymphocytes in the lymph follicles were CD20-positive B cells, which is consistent with the results of previous studies [34,35]. Although hepcidin mRNA is known to be expressed in both T cells and B cells, our results support the idea that B cells infiltrating the mucosa play a major role in the production of hepcidin in the H. pylori-infected gastric mucosa.…”