Helicobacter pylori and somatostatin cells.

Tham et al. show that Helicobacter pylori infection lowers the density of immunoreactive somatostatin cells (D-cells) in the antral mucosa and elevates plasma gastrin concentrations. According to current hypothesis, the lack of inhibition by somatostatin allows excessive release of gastrin, which stimulates acid secretion and thus causes duodenal ulcers. The cytokine tumour necrosis factor-alpha which is released in H. pylori gastritis inhibits D-cells in culture and may be responsible. Why do not all infected persons get duodenal ulcers? Recent work shows that more aggressive strains of H. pylori have greater effects on somatostatin/gastrin physiology. Another variable is whether the infection causes corpusitis or not. Inflammation of the gastric corpus diminishes acid secretion, which greatly decreases the likelihood of duodenal ulcers but increases the risk of gastric cancer. Factors which promote corpusitis include diets with high salt content or lacking in antioxidant vitamins. Work in this area is elucidating how H. pylori causes different diseases. Hopefully this will allow us to predict and prevent its serious sequelae.