Background: Gastric inflammation in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection is considered to be regulated by many kinds of inflammatory and cytoprotective factors. The present study examined the effects of cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-1, -2, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) on gastric mucosal injury in children with H. pylori infection.
Methods: The subjects were 24 children who underwent endoscopy for the evaluation of anemia or gastrointestinal symptoms, and they were divided into two groups: a H. pylori-positive group and -negative group. The numbers of neutrophils in the gastric mucosa of children with and without H. pylori infection and expression of COX-1, -2, and PPAR-gamma were examined, using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.
Results: The numbers of neutrophils were significantly higher in the H. pylori-positive group than in the H. pylori-negative group. The ratio of COX-1 mRNA to COX-2 mRNA in the H. pylori-positive group was significantly lower than that in the H. pylori-negative group. The ratio of PPAR-gamma m-RNA to beta-actin mRNA was significantly higher in the H. pylori-positive group than the H. pylori-negative group.
Conclusions: Enhanced production of COX-2 and PPAR-gamma in the gastric mucosa has cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects, although the relationship to the carcinogenic activity of COX-2 and PPAR-gamma should be clarified.