Alterations of Gastric Homeoprotein Expression in Helicobacter pylori Infection, Incisural Antralisation, and Intestinal Metaplasia

Purpose This study was to determine whether gastric expression of homeoproteins is altered in Helicobacter pylori infection, incisural antralisation, and intestinal metaplasia (IM). Methods Gastric biopsy specimens were taken from 98 patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia for the detection of H. pylori infection; histological examinations; immunohistochemical staining of CDX2, PDX1, PAX6, and NKX6.1. Results Of the patients, 38 were positive for H. pylori infection, 44 had antral-type mucosa at the incisura, and 22 had IM in the stomach. At the incisura, the expression of PDX1, NKX6.1, and PAX6 in cytoplasm compartment was down-regulated in antral-type mucosa compared with that in the transitional- or body-type mucosa (all P < 0.01). The expression of PDX1, PAX6, and NKX6.1 in cytoplasm at the incisura was down-regulated in H. pylori-infected patients compared with that in those without H. pylori infection (all P < 0.01). CDX2 expression in whole stomach was up-regulated, but PDX1 expression at the incisura was down-regulated in patients with IM compared with that in those without IM (all P < 0.01). Conclusions Gastric expression of PDX1, PAX 6, and NKX6.1 is down-regulated in H. pylori infection and incisural antralisation. CDX2 is up-regulated but PDX1 is down-regulated in the presence of IM.