Alterations of gastric homeoprotein expression in Helicobacter pylori infection, incisural antralisation, and intestinal metaplasia

Abstract

Purpose: This study was to determine whether gastric expression of homeoproteins is altered in Helicobacter pylori infection, incisural antralisation, and intestinal metaplasia (IM).

Methods: Gastric biopsy specimens were taken from 98 patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia for the detection of H. pylori infection; histological examinations; immunohistochemical staining of CDX2, PDX1, PAX6, and NKX6.1.

Results: Of the patients, 38 were positive for H. pylori infection, 44 had antral-type mucosa at the incisura, and 22 had IM in the stomach. At the incisura, the expression of PDX1, NKX6.1, and PAX6 in cytoplasm compartment was down-regulated in antral-type mucosa compared with that in the transitional- or body-type mucosa (all P<0.01). The expression of PDX1, PAX6, and NKX6.1 in cytoplasm at the incisura was down-regulated in H. pylori-infected patients compared with that in those without H. pylori infection (all P<0.01). CDX2 expression in whole stomach was up-regulated, but PDX1 expression at the incisura was down-regulated in patients with IM compared with that in those without IM (all P<0.01).

Conclusions: Gastric expression of PDX1, PAX 6, and NKX6.1 is down-regulated in H. pylori infection and incisural antralisation. CDX2 is up-regulated but PDX1 is down-regulated in the presence of IM.