Backgrounds/aims: Chronic gastritis induced by Helicobacter pylori is characterised by considerable neutrophil infiltration into the gastric mucosa without mucosal invasion of bacteria. Bacteria have different characteristics with respect to their ability to stimulate human neutrophils to produce reactive oxygen species and chemokines. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of H pylori water extracts on the oxidative burst and chemokine production of human neutrophils.
Methods: Helicobacter pylori cells were extracted by harvesting into distilled water and centrifugation. Neutrophils were incubated with H pylori water extracts and the production of reactive oxygen species was measured using luminol dependent chemiluminescence (LmCL). In addition, the concentrations of chemokines (interleukin 8 (IL-8), macrophage inflammatory protein 1-alpha (MIP1-alpha), and MIP1-beta) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Neutrophils were also stimulated by opsonised zymosan (OZ) after preincubation with H pylori water extracts.
Results: Helicobacter pylori water extracts alone induced only a weak oxidative burst but preincubation of neutrophils with water extracts dose dependently enhanced the LmCL response stimulated by OZ. Helicobacter pylori water extracts also stimulated neutrophil IL-8 production, although MIP-1beta production was only stimulated weakly, and MIP-1alpha was not stimulated at all.
Conclusions: Helicobacter pylori products in water extracts may have a role in the activation and migration of neutrophils, which results in enhanced oxidative damage to gastric mucosa. These findings may explain the pathology of H pylori induced gastritis, in which there is little invasion of bacteria into the gastric mucosa.