Diminished Th1-type cytokine production in gastric mucosa T lymphocytes after H. pylori eradication in duodenal ulcer patients.

Helicobacter pylori infects an estimated 50% of the world population, however only a small proportion of individuals develop clinical symptoms of gastritis, peptic ulceration or gastric cancer. The variations in disease presentation may be due to differences in bacterial virulence and/or immune response to the pathogen. In the previous study we reported an increased expression of the IL-2 receptor in duodenal ulcer (DU) patients infected with H. pylori. This study examined intracellular lymphokine production in gastric mucosa infiltrating T lymphocytes in DU patients before and after H. pylori eradication. T lymphocytes were isolated from gastric mucosa biopsies by using mechanical and enzymatic tissue desegregation. Ficoll-purified lymphocytes were incubated with monoclonal antibodies and analysed by using 3-colour flow cytometry analysis for intracellular interferon gamma (IFNgamma) and interleukin 4 (IL-4) expression in order to define Th1 and Th2 cell population. We demonstrated a significant decrease in the proportion of Th1 cells infiltrating gastric mucosa 6 and 12 months after H. pylori eradication. Our results suggest the importance of the local immune response in the development of H. pylori related gastritis.