Abstract
BACKGROUND: The correlation of Helicobacter pylori infection with gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer has been proven. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of cagA (+) and cagA (-) genotypes of H. pylori on genes expression of interleukin (IL) -10 and tumor growth factor (TGF) β1 in gastric epithelial cells of patients with gastritis and H. pylori infection. METHODS: In all, 45 gastric biopsy samples were collected from patients with gastritis and H. pylori infection admitted to Tohid Hospital in Sanandaj city. Status of urease and cagA genes of H. pylori were directly determined from the biopsy samples using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Expression of IL-10 and TGF-β1 genes in gastric epithelial cells of patients with gastritis and cagA (+) and cagA(-) genotypes of H. pylori infection was serveyed using real-time PCR method. RESULTS: Overall, 25 samples had infection with H. pylori cagA (+) and 20 with cagA (-) genotypes. This study showed that there is a positive correlation between cagA (-) genotypes of H. pylori and increasing of IL-10 gene expression in gastric epithelial cells of patients with gastritis (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Level of gene expression of IL-10 as an anti-inflammatory cytokine in gastric epithelial cells of patients with H. pylori infection is connected to cagA- genotypes.