Helicobacter spp. infection in dogs is not associated with changes in epithelial proliferation or E-cadherin expression in gastric mucosa

Luciana Sayuri Takemura, Romulo Lot, Pedro Luiz Camargo, Elisangela Silva, Amauri Alcindo Alfieri, Ana Paula F R L B Bracarense
2012 Semina: Ciências Agrárias  
Helicobacter pylori infection causes gastritis and can induce gastric adenocarcinoma and MALT lymphoma in humans. The aim of this study was to determine in dogs whether there is an association between Helicobacter spp. infection in gastric mucosa, histological lesions, including epithelial cell proliferation and cell adhesion. Gastric biopsies of 12 dogs with gastric disturbances and 25 healthy dogs were evaluated. Warthin-Starry staining (WS) and PCR assay were performed to confirm the
more » ... of helicobacteria. The Helicobacter species were determined by PCR assay with speciesspecific primers for H. heilmannii, H. bizzozeronii or H. salomonis, H. felis and H. pylori. Mucosal lesions were evaluated by haematoxylin and eosin (HE) and epithelial proliferation was determined by AgNOR and PCNA methods. Cell adhesion was evaluated by the expression of E-cadherin by epithelial cells. Helicobacter spp. was confirmed in 75.7% (28/37) and 73.0% (27/37) of the samples by WS and PCR, respectively. H. bizzozeronii was the species most frequently detected (37%); co-infection was observed in six (22%) dogs. Histological changes in the lamina propria included mild chronic gastritis, fibrosis, glandular degeneration, and presence of lymphoid aggregates. There was a significant association between H. heilmannii infection and the presence of lymphoid follicles (p < 0.046). In this study no significant change in epithelial proliferation or E-cadherin expression were detected in the gastric mucosa of dogs infected with Helicobacter spp. e H. pylori. As lesões da mucosa foram avaliadas por hematoxilina e eosina (HE) e a proliferação epitelial foi determinada pelos métodos AgNOR e PCNA. A adesão celular foi avaliada por meio da expressão de E-caderina nas células epiteliais. Helicobacter spp. foi confirmado em 75,7% (28/37) e 73,0% (27/37) das amostras por WS e PCR, respectivamente. H. bizzozeronii foi a espécie mais frequentemente detectada (37%); e coinfecção foi observada em seis (22%) cães. As alterações histológicas na lâmina própria foram gastrite crônica discreta, fibrose, degeneração glandular e presença de agregados linfóides. Houve associação significativa entre a infecção por H. heilmannii e a presença de folículos linfóides (p <0,046). Neste estudo, nenhuma alteração significativa foi verificada na proliferação epitelial ou na expressão de E-caderina na mucosa gástrica de cães infectados com Helicobacter spp. Palavras-chave: Cão, lesão gástrica, Helicobacter spp., proliferação epitelial, adesão celular
doi:10.5433/1679-0359.2012v33supl2p3211 fatcat:f6yh4fsj4vdz5lbi2mwjlnpowy