Pediatric Helicobacter pylori infection and circulating T-lymphocyte activation and differentiation
Anna Helmin-Basa1, Jacek Michalkiewicz, Lidia Gackowska
1Department of Immunology, Collegium Medicum Nicolaus Copernicus University, Bydgoszcz, Poland. a.helminbasa@gmail.com
Insights
Helicobacter pylori infection in children with gastritis increases activated T and B cells. Inflammation correlates with CD4(+) T cells in infected children and B cells in non-infected children.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Gastritis in children can be associated with Helicobacter pylori infection.
- Immune responses, specifically T and B lymphocyte activation, may play a role in gastritis pathogenesis.
- Understanding these immune changes is crucial for diagnosing and managing pediatric gastritis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare circulating T lymphocyte subsets in H. pylori-infected and noninfected children with gastritis.
- To investigate the correlation between lymphocyte phenotypes and gastric inflammation severity.
- To elucidate the role of immune cell activation in pediatric gastritis.
Main Methods:
- Assessed H. pylori infection using [¹³C]urea breath test, rapid urease test, and histology.
- Analyzed lymphocyte surface molecule expression via triple-color flow cytometry.
- Correlated immune cell percentages with gastric inflammation scores.
Main Results:
- H. pylori-infected children showed increased memory CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells and B cells (CD19(low)).
- Noninfected children with gastritis had elevated CD8(+) T cells, NK cells (CD56(high)), and memory CD4(+) T cells.
- Gastric inflammation correlated with CD4(+) T cells in H. pylori-positive children and B cells in H. pylori-negative children.
Conclusions:
- Gastritis in children involves increased activated NK and T cells, and intermediate-differentiated CD4(+) T cells.
- H. pylori infection exacerbates these immune changes, particularly B-cell responses.
- Inflammation severity is linked to specific immune cell elevations depending on H. pylori status.
Background:
In this study, H. pylori-infected and noninfected children with gastritis were compared to a control group with respect to circulating CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes expressing activation and differentiation markers. Additionally, the lymphocyte phenotypes of children with gastritis were correlated with the gastric inflammation scores.
Materials And Methods:
H. pylori infection status was assessed based on [¹³C]urea breath test, rapid urease test, and histology. Analysis of the lymphocyte surface molecule expression was carried out by triple-color flow cytometry.
Results:
The group of H. pylori-infected children showed an elevated proportion of peripheral B cells with CD19(low) , along with a twofold increase in the percentage of memory (CD45RO(+)) CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell subsets (p < .05). Moreover, a positive correlation between the age and the percentage of these subsets was seen (r = .38, p = .04 and r = .56, p < .01, respectively). Children with gastritis but without infection had a slightly increased percentage of CD8(+) T cells and CD56(+) NK cells, CD3(high) T cells and CD45RO(high) CD4(+) T-cell subsets (p < .05). Both H. pylori-infected and noninfected children with gastritis were characterized by an increased percentage of memory/effector CD4(+) T cells, the presence of NK cells with CD56(high), memory T-cell subset with CD4(high), and naive, memory, memory/effector, and effector T-cell subsets with CD8(high) (p < .05). Gastric inflammation scores correlated positively with the percentage of CD4(+) T lymphocytes in H. pylori-infected children (r = .42, p = .03). In noninfected children, gastric inflammation scores correlated positively with the percentage of B cells (r = .45, p = .04).
Conclusion:
In H. pylori-negative children, gastritis was associated with an increased percentage of activated NK and T cells, and intermediate-differentiated peripheral blood CD4(+) T cells, which was more pronounced in H. pylori-positive children who also showed an increased B-cell response. However, increased inflammation was only associated with the elevation of CD4(+) T-cell percentage in H. pylori-positive children as well as B-cell percentage in H. pylori-negative children with gastritis.
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