Accelerated Progression of Gastritis to Dysplasia in the Pyloric Antrum of TFF2−/− C57BL6 × Sv129 Helicobacter pylori-Infected Mice

摘要

Trefoil factor family 2 (TFF2) is up-regulated in >Helicobacter spp.-infected gastric tissues of both humans and mice. To ascertain the biological effects of TFF2 >in vivo, TFF2^−/− C57BL/6 × Sv129 and wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 × Sv129 mice were orally infected with >Helicobacter pylori SS1. Mice were evaluated for gastric >H. pylori colonization, pathology, and cytokine profiles at 6 and 19 months post inoculation (pi). At 6 months pi, there was a significant difference (>P < 0.05) for epithelial criteria (mucosal defects, atrophy, hyperplasia, pseudopyloric metaplasia, and dysplasia) in the corpus of TFF2^−/− versus WT mice. At 19 months pi, a similar statistical difference in epithelial parameters was noted in the antrum of TFF2^−/− versus WT mice (>P < 0.01). All of the TFF2^−/− >H. pylori-infected mice had high-grade antral dysplasia, including gastric intraepithelial neoplasia, which was statistically significant (>P < 0.05) compared with the infected WT mice. Levels of interferon-γ were markedly elevated in the gastric mucosa of infected TFF2^−/− mice at both 6 and 19 months pi. TFF2 provided a cytoprotective and/or anti-inflammatory effect against the progression of premalignant lesions of the gastric corpus at 6 months pi and in the pyloric antrum in >H. pylori-infected mice at 19 months pi. These data support a protective role for TFF2 in part by modulating levels of gastric interferon-γ in the development of >H. pylori-associated premalignancy of the distal stomach.