The effect of the immune response to Helicobacter pylori in the development of intestinal metaplasia.

Abstract

H. pylori infection is associated with the appearance of immunocompetent mononuclear cells in gastric mucosa. These cells produce H. pylori antibodies of the IgG class which are capable of causing cytotoxic damage in the epithelial cells, obviously through activation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes by antibody-antigen complexes. The occurrence of these cells is inversely related to intestinal metaplasia, suggesting that they may be involved in the processes of epithelial damage leading to the appearance of intestinal metaplasia.