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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Dietary Prevention of Obesity-related Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #199511
Title: Low concentrations of zinc in gastric mucosa are associated with increased severity of Helicobacter pylori-induced inflammation

Author
item SEMPERTEGUI, FERNANDO - CORP BIOTECNOLOGIA, QUITO
item DIAZ, MYRIAM - CORP BIOTECNOLOGIA, QUITO
item MEJIA, RICARDO - HOSP SUAREZ, QUITO, ECUAD
item RODRIGUEZ-MORA, OSWALDO - CORP BIOTECNOLOGIA, QUITO
item RENTERIA, EDGAR - HOSP SUAREZ, QUITO, ECUAD
item GUARDERAS, CARLOS - CORP BIOTECNOLOGIA, QUITO
item ESTRELLA, BERTHA - CORP BIOTECNOLOGIA, QUITO
item RECALDE, RAMIRO - HOSP SUARES, QUITO, ECUAD
item HAMER, DAVID - BOSTON UNIVERSITY
item Reeves, Phillip

Submitted to: Helicobacter Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/13/2006
Publication Date: 1/1/2007
Citation: Sempertegui, F., Diaz, M., Mejia, R., Rodriguez-Mora, O.G., Renteria, E., Guarderas, C., Estrella, B., Recalde, R., Hamer, D.H., Reeves, P.G. 2007. Low concentrations of zinc in gastric mucosa are associated with increased severity of Helicobacter pylori-induced inflammation. Helicobacter Journal. 12:43-48.

Interpretive Summary: Chronic infection by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most common cause of gastric cancer. H. pylori induced oxidative stress and zinc deficiency results in increased sensitivity to the stress. In Ecuador, the prevalence of gastric cancer and zinc deficiency is high. We put forth a theory that zinc deficiency in Ecuadorian people would increase inflammation caused by H. pylori in the stomach lining which would be associated with lower tissue zinc concentrations. Three hundred fifty-two patients with clinical gastritis underwent endoscopy to obtain biopsies of the stomach lining. Diagnosis of H. pylori infection and its severity, histopathology, zinc concentration in the stomach lining, and inflammation intensity were determined. The results showed that H. pylori-infected patients with non-chronic gastritis had significantly lower (P=0.016) concentrations of zinc (251.3 +/- 225.3 vs. 426.2 +/- 279.9 ng/mg of protein) in their stomach lining than H. pylori non-infected patients with the same type of gastritis. Considering all patients, the more severe the H. pylori infection the higher percentage of subjects with infiltration by polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells (P=0.0001). Patients with high PMN infiltration had lower (P=0.021) mucosal zinc concentration (35.2 +/- 20.7 vs. 242.9 +/- 191.8 ng/mg of protein) than patients with low PMN infiltration. The conclusion is that intracellular zinc concentration in gastric mucosa may determine the degree of inflammation in H. pylori-induced gastritis.

Technical Abstract: Background: Chronic infection by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most common cause of gastric cancer. H. pylori induced oxidative stress and zinc deficiency results in increased sensitivity to the stress. In Ecuador, the prevalence of gastric cancer and zinc deficiency is high. We hypothesized that zinc deficiency in Ecuadorian people would increase H. pylori-induced inflammation in the gastric mucosa associated with lower tissue zinc concentrations. Method: Three hundred fifty-two patients with clinical gastritis underwent endoscopy to obtain gastric mucosa biopsies. Diagnosis of H. pylori infection and its severity, histopathology, mucosal zinc concentration, and inflammation intensity were determined. Results: H. pylori-infected patients with non-atrophic chronic gastritis had lower concentrations of zinc in gastric mucosa than H. pylori non-infected patients with the same type of gastritis (251.3 +/- 225.3 vs. 426.2 +/- 279.9 ng/mg of protein; n = 171 and 24, respectively; p = 0.016). Considering all patients, the more severe the H. pylori infection the higher the percentage of subjects with infiltration by polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells (P=0.0001). Patients with high PMN infiltration had lower mucosal zinc concentration than patients with low PMN infiltration (35.2 +/- 20.7 vs. 242.9 +/- 191.8 ng/mg of protein; n = 72 and 26, respectively; p = 0.021). Conclusions: Intracellular zinc in gastric mucosa may determine the degree of inflammation in H. pylori-induced gastritis.