Gastric antral and fundic mucosal protein, DNA and RNA changes in different experimental ulcer models.

The changes in gastric (fundic and antral) mucosal protein, DNA and RNA content, have been investigated in different experimental gastric ulcer models of rat. It seems that indomethacin and stress (restraint) ulcer formation were followed by a predominant fundic (oxyntic cell area) mucosal DNA increase, while in the antral mucosa this phenomenon was connected to a significant RNA increase. The observed changes of the RNA/DNA ratio in the fundic mucosa were interpreted as a sign of accelerated cell renewal. The authors conclude that during ulceration the regenerative processes concomitantly take place.