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World J Gastroenterol. Nov 21, 2008; 14(43): 6717-6721
Published online Nov 21, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.6717
Helicobacter pylori infection and expression of DNA mismatch repair proteins
Vahid Mirzaee, Mahsa Molaei, Hamid Mohaghegh Shalmani, Mohammad Reza Zali
Vahid Mirzaee, Department of Gastroenterology, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
Mahsa Molaei, Department of Patholology, Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Shaheed Beheshti University, M.C., Tehran, Iran
Hamid Mohaghegh Shalmani, Research assistant, Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Shaheed Beheshti University, M.C., Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Reza Zali, Department of Gastroenterology, Head of Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Shaheed Beheshti University, M.C., Tehran, Iran
Author contributions: Mirzaee V and Molaei M contributed equally to this work; Mirzaee V designed research, Molaei M performed research, Mohaghegh Shalmani H wrote the paper and Zali MR was the sponsor and scientific manager.
Correspondence to: Mahsa Molaei, Department of Patholology, Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Shaheed Beheshti University, M.C., 19835-187, Tehran, Iran. m_molaei@sbmu.ac.ir
Telephone: +98-2122432515 Fax: +98-2122432517
Received: March 15, 2008
Revised: October 30, 2008
Accepted: November 6, 2008
Published online: November 21, 2008
Abstract

AIM: To determine the expression of DNA (MMR) proteins, including hMLH1 and hMSH2, in gastric epithelial cells in the patients with or without Helicobacter pylori (H pylori)-infected gastritis.

METHODS: Fifty H pylori-positive patients and 50 H pylori-negative patients were enrolled in the study. During endoscopy of patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia, two antral and two corpus biopsies were taken for histological examination (Giemsa stain) and for immunohistochemical staining of hMLH1 and hMSH2.

RESULTS: The percentage of epithelial cell nuclei that demonstrated positivity for hMLH1 staining was 84.14 ± 7.32% in H pylori-negative patients, while it was 73.34 ± 10.10% in H pylori-positive patients (P < 0.0001). No significant difference was seen between the two groups regarding the percentage of epithelial cell nuclei that demonstrated positivity for hMSH2 staining (81.16 ± 8.32% in H pylori-negative versus 78.24 ± 8.71% in H pylori-positive patients; P = 0.09).

CONCLUSION: This study indicates that H pylori might promote development of gastric carcinoma at least in part through its ability to affect the DNA MMR system.

Keywords: Helicobacter pylori; DNA mismatch repair; hMLH1, hMSH2