Limitations of Chromogranin A in clinical practice

Context: Usefulness of circulating Chromogranin A (CgA) for the diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors (NEN) is controversial. The aim of the present study was to assess the actual role of this marker as diagnostic tool. Methods: Serum blood samples were obtained from 42 subjects affected with NEN, 120 subjects affected with non-endocrine neoplasias (non-NEN) and 100 non-neoplastic subjects affected with benign nodular goitre (NNG). Determination of CgA was performed by means of immunoradiometric assay. Results: The CgA levels among NEN-patients were not significantly different from NNG and non-NEN subjects. The Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis failed to identify a feasible cut-off value for the differential diagnosis between NEN and the other conditions. Conclusion: Serum CgA is not helpful for the first-line diagnosis of NEN.     

Coccoid Helicobacter pylori Not Culturable In Vitro Reverts in Mice

An experimental rodent model was used to demonstrate the viability of the coccoid form of Helicobacter pylori. Concentrated suspensions were prepared for the two different morphologies: at 2 days incubation for the bacillary forms and at 20 days incubation for the “dormant” forms. The strains used for incubation were two fresh isolates from humans with duodenal ulceration, and two collection strains. Five hundred microliters of culture (OD₅₅₀ = 5 Mc Farland) of Helicobacter pylori with bacillary (2-5×10⁹ CFU/ml) and coccoid (0 CFU/ml) morphology were inoculated intragastrically in BALB/c mice. The gastric mucosa of the mice was colonized by Helicobacter pylori with the administration of fresh bacillary and coccoid cultures and not with the established cultures. Helicobacter pylori was isolated at 1 week after inoculation with the administration of fresh bacillary cultures, while fresh coccoid Helicobacter pylori was recovered in mice stomachs after 2 weeks of inoculation. After colonization, histopathologic changes occurred after 1 month from inoculation; all colonized mice showed a systemic antibody response to Helicobacter pylori. These results support the thesis of the viability of coccoid Helicobacter pylori non-culturable in vitro and confirm that concentrated bacterial suspensions are able to colonize and to produce gastric alterations in this suitable animal model.     

Genetic Transformation in Helicobacter pylori

Genetic transformation in Helicobacter pylori was investigated by using its chromosomal and plasmid DNAs. Six out of the eight strains exhibited the natural competence for incorporation of H. pylori chromosomal DNA, and all the strains incorporated the donor DNA efficiently by washing and concentrating the cells, with a glycerol solution. The much higher frequency of transformation was obtained in each strain by means of electroporation. Electroporation experiments were also conducted by use of the recombinant DNAs consisting of the H. pylori and Escherichia coli plasmids as the donors, and the occurrence of the homologous recombination was demonstrated between the incoming H. pylori plasmid-derived region and the corresponding region of the originally residing plasmid in H. pylori.     

Review: Prevention and management of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is still the fifth most frequently diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer deaths in both sexes worldwide. Although the incidence of GC is predicted to continue declining in a growing number of countries in the future, on a global scale the number of newly diagnosed GC cases will remain high, or increase even further, due to changes in population size and increasing risks observed in younger generations. In a retrospective cohort study, collecting data from the Veterans Health Administration, treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection decreased GC risk only if eradication was successful. In a German case‐control study, among GC patients with autoimmune gastritis, pernicious anemia was associated with earlier detection of GC, which translated into a significantly better 5‐year survival. In an updated meta‐analysis, H. pylori eradication therapy in healthy individuals significantly reduced both GC incidence and mortality from GC with a number needed to treat of 72 and 135, respectively. In Korea, successful H. pylori eradication substantially reduced GC incidence in first‐degree relatives of GC patients as well. A meta‐analysis of four trials including 1,556 patients with resectable GC reported that the patient subgroup tumors with high microsatellite instability undergoing surgery did not benefit from perioperative or adjuvant chemotherapy.     

幽门螺杆菌根除治疗对慢性胃炎患者肠道菌群的影响及其与血清hsCRP水平的相关性

目的探究幽门螺杆菌(H.pylori)根除治疗对慢性胃炎患者肠道菌群的影响及其与血清超敏C反应蛋白(hsCRP)水平的相关性。方法选择2018年5月至2019年5月我院收治的87例慢性胃炎患者为研究对象,所有患者均采用枸橼酸铋钾胶囊+雷贝拉唑钠肠溶胶囊+克拉霉素片+阿莫西林克拉维酸钾片进行幽门螺杆菌根除治疗,评价所有患者治疗后临床疗效、H.pylori根除率,比较所有患者治疗前后临床症状积分,肠道肠球菌、葡萄球菌、肠杆菌、乳杆菌、双歧杆菌数量及血清hsCRP水平,采用Pearson相关分析所有患者治疗后肠道菌群数量与血清hsCRP水平的相关性。结果入选患者临床治疗有效率为95.40%,H.pylori根除率为90.80%。患者治疗后腹胀、嗳气、腹痛、纳差评分显著低于治疗前(均P<0.05)。治疗后患者肠道肠球菌、葡萄球菌数量显著高于治疗前,而肠杆菌、乳杆菌、双歧杆菌数量显著低于治疗前(均P<0.05)。患者治疗后血清hsCRP水平显著低于治疗前(P<0.05)。患者治疗后肠道肠球菌、葡萄球菌、乳杆菌、肠杆菌、双歧杆菌数量与血清hsCRP水平无显著相关性(均P>0.05)。结论H.pylori根除治疗能有效改善慢性胃炎患者临床症状,提高H.pylori根除率,降低血清hsCRP水平,但会造成患者肠道菌群失调,且肠道菌群数量与血清hsCRP水平无显著相关性。     

胃复春片联合兰索拉唑肠溶片对慢性萎缩性胃炎患者血清胃肠激素、炎症因子及免疫功能的影响

摘要 目的：胃复春片联合兰索拉唑肠溶片对慢性萎缩性胃炎（CAG）患者血清胃肠激素、炎症因子及免疫功能的影响。方法：选取62例CAG患者,根据门诊挂号奇偶性分为对照组（n=31,兰索拉唑肠溶片治疗）和研究组（n=31,胃复春片联合兰索拉唑肠溶片治疗）。比较两组患者疗效、胃肠激素[胃泌素(GAS)、胃动素(MTL)]、炎症因子[超敏C反应蛋白（hs-CRP）、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、白介素-6（IL-6）]、免疫功能及不良反应。结果：研究组治疗2个月后的总有效率为87.10%（27/31）,高于对照组的64.52%（20/31）,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。治疗2个月后,研究组hs-CRP、TNF-α、IL-6、GAS、CD8P低于对照组,MTL、CD4P、CD4⁺/CD8⁺高于对照组（P<0.05）。两组不良反应发生率对比未见明显差异（P>0.05）。结论：胃复春片联合兰索拉唑肠溶片治疗CAG疗效确切,可有效改善机体胃肠激素、炎症因子水平及免疫功能,且安全可靠,具有一定应用价值。     

Culture of a Gastric Non‐Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter from the Stomach of a 14‐Year‐Old Girl

Helicobacter felis belongs to the fastidious gastric non‐Helicobacter pylori helicobacter species that are typically found in the stomach of cats and dogs. These bacteria have the potential to colonize the human stomach and are then associated with gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcers, and MALT lymphoma. Strains cultured from the human stomach are rare. Here, we present the first isolation of H. felis from a gastric biopsy specimen of a 14‐year‐old girl who presented with persistent epigastric pain. The strain was cultured using our routine protocol for H. pylori and identified by phylogenetic analyses of partial urease AB and gyrB gene sequences.