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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #37611
Title: EFFECT OF HELICOBACTER MUSTELAE INFECTION ON FERRET GASTRIC EPITHELIAL CELLPROLIFERATION

Author
item YU JING - TUFTS-HNRCA
item RUSSELL ROBERT M - TUFTS-HNRCA
item SALOMON ROBERT N - TUFTS-HNRCA
item MURPHY JAMES C - MIT
item PALLEY LORI S - MIT
item FOX JAMES G - MIT

Submitted to: Carcinogenesis
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: A strong association between Helicobacter bacteria and gastric cancer has been suggested by epidemiological studies. It has been suggested that an increased cell growth rate is related to the development of cancer. In this study, the effect of a Helicobacter bacterial infection on cell growth in the gastrointestinal tract was studied in ferrets infected with the bacteria, as well as in non-infected ferrets. Identification of Helicobacter was done by several techniques. Tissues were obtained from two different regions of the stomach (upper and lower regions). Significantly higher cell growth was observed in the Helicobacter-infected ferrets versus the non-infected ferrets. Moreover, cell growth correlated with the severity of stomach problems caused by the bacteria. This study provides support for use of the Helicobacter-infected ferrets as an animal model for studying Helicobacter-induced human gastric diseases including cancer.

Technical Abstract: The effect of Helicobacter mustelae (H. mustelae) infection on gastric epithelial proliferation was studied in ferrets colonized with H. mustelae and specific pathogen free (SPF) ferrets known to be free of H. mustelae. Thirteen infected ferrets between the age of 13 to 32 months and 16 SPF ferrets between 6 to 18 months were used. Bacterial cultures, urease tests and Warthin-Starry stains were used to identify H. mustelae. Tissues were obtained from the antrum and the body regions of the stomach. Tissue sections were assayed by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunohisto-chemistry and measured using a computerized color image analysis system. PCNA positivity in the antrum and the body regions was significantly increased in the H. mustelae in- fected ferrets vs. the SPF ferrets (p<0.001). PCNA positivity in the antrum regions of the H. mustelae infected ferrets and SPF ferrets was significantly higher than that of the body regions (p=0.001). Comparison of the histopathology of the infected ferrets indicated that PCNA positivity correlated with the histologic severity of gastritis. This study suggests that cell proliferation in ferret gastric mucosa in- creases with H. mustelae infection. Also, this study provides evidence that PCNA is a useful biomarker for studying the changes of cell kine- tics in the ferret stomach. This study provides further support of the H. mustelae infected ferret as an animal model for studying the pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori-induced human gastric diseases.