[Investigation of Helicobacter pylori iceA1 and iceA2 genes in patients with chronic gastritis and gastric cancer].

Several virulence factors of Helicobacter pylori play crucial role in the pathogenesis of the infections.H.pylori iceA gene which is induced by the contact with epithelium during the attachment of bacterium to the gastric mucosa, possess two variants (iceA1 and iceA2). Although there are some data indicating the relationship between H.pylori iceA1 and peptic ulcer, this concept is still controversial. The aims of this study were to investigate the presence and prevalence of H.pylori iceA1 and iceA2 gene regions in the tissue samples of patients diagnosed as chronic gastritis and gastric cancer, and to evaluate whether any correlation existed between these genotypes and clinical manifestations. A total of 109 tissue samples obtained from chronic gastritis (n= 55) and gastric cancer (n= 54) patients whose H.pylori infections have been confirmed by histopathologic examination of biopsy samples, were included in the study. The presence of H.pylori in the samples were also confirmed by amplification of the ureA gene region by inhouse polymerase chain reaction (PCR). H.pylori iceA1 and iceA2 genes were directly genotyped with the use of specific primers in the gastric biopsy specimens by PCR. The total positivity rates of iceA1 and ice- A2 genotypes in patients were found as 58% (63/109) and 24% (26/109), respectively. With the special attention to chronic gastritis and gastric cancer patients, the frequencies of iceA1 gene were 51% (28/55) and 65% (35/54), while the frequencies of iceA2 gene were 20% (11/55) and 28% (15/54), respectively. The difference of positivity rates of iceA1 and iceA2 genotypes between the patient groups were not statistically significant (p> 0.05). There was also no statistically significant correlation between the genotypes and clinical manifestation (r> 0.01). As a result, H.pylori iceA1 genotype was predominant (58%) in chronic gastritis and gastric cancer patients in our region, however the prevalence of iceA2 genotype was lower (24%) similar to those data reported in the literature. Our results supported the concept that iceA gene reflects geographical differences rather than determining the clinical picture and virulence. In conclusion, multicenter and large scaled studies are needed for better evaluation of H.pylori iceA gene and disease relationship.