BACKGROUND: Epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor ligands (EGFRL) includingtransforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha), amphiregulin, and heparin binding-EGF (HB-EGF) are involvedin gastric mucosal repair in chronic gastritis. Their mRNA expression has been shown to be upregulatedafter Helicobacter pylori (H.p.)-eradication but little is known about this gene expression in atrophicgastritis. The purpose of our study was to investigate EGFRL mRNA expression in gastric mucosa of patientswith atrophic gastritis before and after H.p.-eradication. MATERIAL/METHODS: Antral mucosal biopsieswere obtained during endoscopy in 10 H.p. positive patients with atrophic gastritis and in 10 H.p. negativecontrols with intact mucosa. Total RNA of antral biopsies was extracted and RT-PCR was performed, thePCR-products being measured densitometrically. Values were compared with mRNA expressions in H.p. negativeantral mucosa (n=10). RESULTS: Gastric biopsies revealed mRNA expression for TGF-alpha, amphiregulinand HB-EGF, both in H.p. positive atrophic antritis and in H.p. negative healthy mucosa. The mRNA expressionof TGF-alpha in atrophic gastritis was significantly upregulated after H.p.-eradication, whereas thatof amphiregulin did not change after this eradication. Expression of HB-EGF mRNA was higher in H.p.-infectionthan after H.p.-eradication or in H.p. negative healthy subjects. CONCLUSIONS: H.p. positive atrophicgastritis is associated with differential mRNA expression of EGF receptor ligands. H.p.-eradication inthis entity leads to unequal changes of these growth factor expressions compared to chronic active gastritiswithout atrophy.

Keywords: Base Sequence, DNA Primers, Epidermal Growth Factor, Gastritis, Atrophic, Glycoproteins, Growth Substances, Helicobacter Infections, Helicobacter pylori, Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, Ligands, RNA, Messenger, Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Transforming Growth Factor alpha