Antral gastrin-producing G-cells and somatostatin-producing D-cells in peptic ulcer

The number of G cells and D cells per area unit and the G cell/D cell ratio was studied in control subjects and patients with duodenal or gastric ulcer. A great inter-individual variation in the population density of both types of cells was observed in the three groups studied. G cell density was significantly decreased in both duodenal and gastric ulcer patients, when compared with controls; whereas no difference in G cell density was seen between duodenal ulcer patients and gastric ulcer patients. However, D cell density was significantly decreased in duodenal ulcer patients when compared with control subjects and gastric ulcer patients. In this latter group, D cell density was also lower than in control subjects. A significant positive linear correlation between G cell number and D cell number was found in the three groups studied. The G cell/D cell ratio was significantly increased in duodenal and gastric ulcer patients when compared with controls. This was mainly due to a decrease in D cell numbers. It is concluded that a local deficit in antral D cells in patients with peptic ulcer may favor the pathogenesis of ulcer disease.