Abstract :
Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection causes gastric inflammation and the release of
cytokines.
Aims: To investigate the effects of chronic H. pylori infection on leukocyte adhesion and serum TNF-
alpha levels.
Materials and Methods : Twelve male Spraque-Dawley rats were used in this study (control group = 6 and H. pylori infection group = 6). Intravital fluorescence microscopic technique was performed to examine leukocyte adhesion on postcapillary venules. Serum TNF-alpha levels were analyzed using ELISA technique.
Results: In H. pylori infection groups, the leukocyte adhesion were 13.4 +/- 1.0 cells/field and TNF-alpha were 76.8 +/- 23.2 pg/ml, those were significantly (p <0.05) increased when compared with the control groups (leukocyte adhesion 2.5 +/- 0.6 cells/field and TNF-alpha = 9.9 +/- 2.6 pg/ml, respectively).
Conclusions: H. pylori infection induces increase of leukocyte adhesion, as well as TNF-alpha. These
results are helpful to explain the pathophysiology of H. pylori that causes gastric inflammation.
[Thai J Gastroenterol 2006; 7(1): 1-6] |