[Alteration of the gastric mucosal glycoprotein in stress]

Many studies have postulated the role of gastric acid and mucosal microcirculation in the development of gastric ulcer. We considered that gastric mucosal glycoprotein played one of the most important roles as the defensive factors of te gastric mucosa. The purpose of this study is to investigate te location and distribution of glycoprotein in the gastric mucosa in normal and stressful condition. Male Wistar rats, weighing 250 g were used as the experimental animals. Alternation and distribution of glycoprotein in the gastric mucosa were studied by light and electron microscopic examination employing HRP-labeled lectin such as PNA, DBA, ConA, RCA, SBA, WGA and UEA-1 as a parameter before and after the development of stress ulcer. Around Thirty percent scalding burn of the rat body surface area was created. At 2, 5 and 24 hours after burn induction, the gastric mucosa was examined. PNA-binding sites which were primarily localized to the generative cell zone in the control rat appeared to extend from the upper layer to the intermediate or the basal layer of the gastric mucosa in accordance with the development of stress ulcer after burn. Most of the binding sites was detected in the parietal cells particularly along microvilli in the intracellular secretory canaliculi. The tubulovesicular system in the parietal cells became stainable with PNA in the stress-loaded rats. Alternation and binding pattern of lectin, especially of PNA may indicate the local response of the parietal cells of the gastric mucosa against the stress.