Abstract
Background
Gastritis, an inflammation of gastric mucosa, may be due to many pathological factors and infection, such as with
Helicobacter pylori
. The use of experimental models of gastritis is important to evaluate the biochemical changes and study chemotherapeutic intervention. In a previous study we demonstrated an acute gastritis model induced by iodoacetamide.
Aims
Our objective in this study was to evaluate a new gastritis model induced by
H. pylori
infection in experimental rats in terms of certain biomarkers in serum and mucosal tissues in addition to histopathological examination.
Methods
Gastritis was induced in 20 albino Wistar rats by
H. pylori
isolated from antral biopsy taken from a 49-year-old male patient endoscopically diagnosed as having
H. pylori
infection. Another ten rats were used as controls. Serum gastrin, pepsinogen I activity, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and gastric mucosal myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and prostaglandin E
2
(PGE
2
) were measured. Immunostaining for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nitrotyrosine and DNA fragmentation were used to further evaluate
H. pylori
-induced gastritis.
Results
Serum gastrin, IL-6, mucosal MPO activity, and PGE
2
demonstrated significant increases joined with a decreased serum pepsinogen I activity (
P
< 0.001). Immunohistochemistry demonstrated positive reaction for iNOS, nitrotyrosine and DNA fragmentation.
Conclusions
Helicobacter
pylori
-induced gastritis models demonstrated massive oxidative stress and pronounced injury in mucosal tissue. Since our model in rats reflected the clinical picture of
H. pylori
infection, it can be considered as a consistent model to study chemotherapeutic intervention for this type of gastritis.