Helicobacter pylori and gastric carcinoma--from the view point of animal model.

Many epidemiological studies have shown a strong association between chronic Helicobacter pylori infection and subsequent development of gastric carcinoma in humans. To confirm this link more clearly, it is necessary to use this bacterium in experimental studies to develop gastric carcinoma in suitable experimental animals. Persistent H. pylori infection has recently been achieved in the Japanese Monkeys and Mongolian gerbil models, with results demonstrating that the sequential histopathological changes in the gastric mucosa are closely mimic the gastric mucosal changes caused by H. pylori infection in humans. Gastric mucosa infected with H. pylori exhibited significantly higher gastritis score, reduction in glandular height, increase in the number of Ki-67 positive cells and over expression of p53 protein and p53 gene mutation in the Japanese Monkey Model. In the Mongolian gerbil model, H. pylori infection enhances gastric carcinogenesis in combination with known carcinogens such as MNU and MNNG, and also demonstrated that H. pylori infection alone can result in the development of gastric carcinoma. However, diagnostic criteria of gastric carcinoma in animal models remain in the great discussion. These important results provide a starting point for further studies to clarify the mechanism of gastric carcinogenesis as a result of H. pylori infection and assist the planning of eradication therapy to prevent gastric carcinoma.