Higher gastric mucin secretion and lower gastric acid output in first-degree relatives of gastric cancer patients.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Patients infected by Helicobacter pylori who have first-degree relatives with gastric cancer have an 8-fold increased risk of developing gastric cancer themselves. Mucins are high-molecular-weight glycoproteins that play a cardinal role in the protective mechanism of the gastric epithelium.

AIM:

To study gastric acid and mucin secretion in dyspeptic patients with and without a family history of gastric cancer and H. pylori infection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Twenty-six dyspeptic patients underwent esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy, gastric biopsies, and acid and mucin secretory tests. The sample was divided by family history of gastric cancer and H. pylori status.

RESULTS:

Patients who were infected by H. pylori had a significantly higher degree of inflammation than those who were not. H. pylori-positive patients with a positive family history had a lower basal and maximal gastric acid output than infected patients with no family history and noninfected controls, and a higher basal and maximal mucin output than infected patients with no family history. MUC5AC was the major mucin species expressed in gastric juice.

CONCLUSIONS:

In patients with relatives with gastric cancer, H. pylori infection is associated with a more severe inflammatory reaction consisting of decreased gastric acid secretion and increased mucin secretion.

• Authors: Alexander Vilkin, Zohar Levi, Sara Morgenstern, Haim Shmuely, Eyal Gal, Bracha Hadad, Britta Hardi, Yaron Niv
• Journal: Journal of clinical gastroenterology (J Clin Gastroenterol) Vol. 42 Issue 1 Pg. 36-41 (Jan 2008) ISSN: 0192-0790 [Print] United States
• PMID: 18097287 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Gastric Mucins

Topics

• Achlorhydria (complications, metabolism)
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Cohort Studies
• Disease Susceptibility
• Family Health
• Gastric Mucins (metabolism)
• Helicobacter Infections (complications, pathology)
• Helicobacter pylori
• Humans
• Inflammation (pathology)
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial (etiology, pathology)
• Risk Factors
• Stomach Neoplasms (etiology, pathology)