Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 19, 2025
Retinal and Choroidal Thickness Changes in Populations with Helicobacter pylori Infection by Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography
Published on: November 1, 2024
Helicobacter pylori VacA-induced gastric mucosal atrophy: a comparative analysis with other forms of atrophic
Yang-Kun Wang1, Wen-Rui Chen1, Ling-Yan Lu1
1Department of Pathology, The Fourth People's Hospital of Longgang District, Shenzhen, 518123, China.
Abstract:
This study aimed to evaluate the atrophic changes induced by Helicobacter pylori VacA and compare them with other forms of atrophic gastritis.A comprehensive histomorphological analysis and immunohistochemical evaluation were performed on 984 endoscopic gastric mucosal biopsy samples from patients with endoscopically confirmed atrophic gastritis. H. pylori primarily adheres to surface mucus cells, where it proliferates and produces the vacuolating cytotoxin VacA. The underlying mechanism involves VacA inducing the upward migration and compensatory proliferation of cells located in the deeper regions of gastric pits, the isthmus of gastric glands, and the neck mucous cells, ultimately leading to gastric atrophy. In this study, a comparative analysis was performed with autoimmune atrophy, degenerative denaturation atrophy, drug-induced atrophy, and non-specific atrophy. Both clinical and histological characteristics were evaluated, and pathological diagnostic criteria for mucosal atrophy were proposed for the first time. Of the 984 cases examined, H. pylori-induced atrophic gastritis was identified in 648 cases, accounting for 65.9% (648/984); autoimmune atrophy in 34 cases, representing 3.5% (34/984); degenerative denaturation atrophy in 59 cases, representing 6.0% (59/984); drug-induced atrophy in 72 cases, making up 7.3% (72/984); and non-specific atrophy in 171 cases, accounting for 17.4% (171/984). H. pylori infection was found to be associated with a high prevalence of infectious atrophy, accompanied by active epithelial cell proliferation, intraepithelial neoplasia, early changes in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and cell proliferation outside the lymphatic follicular mantle. The comparative analysis of gastric mucosal atrophy induced by H. pylori VacA, in comparison to other forms of atrophic gastritis, is crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of gastric cancer and improving management strategies for its prevention and progression.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Gastritis-II: Pathophysiology
In acute gastritis, the gastric mucosa becomes swollen and red and undergoes superficial erosion. Superficial ulceration may lead to bleeding.
In chronic gastritis, persistent or repeated insults lead to chronic inflammatory changes and, eventually, thinning or atrophy of the gastric tissue.
Gastritis can stem from various causes, each...
01:28Peptic Ulcer Disease III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Few clinical manifestations differentiate gastric ulcers from duodenal ulcers. Distinctions in the location, timing, and pain relief are crucial for healthcare providers in differentiating between gastric and duodenal ulcers during clinical assessments.
01:27Gastritis-I: Introduction and Types
Acute gastritis presents as a sudden inflammation triggered by various stressors to the stomach lining, such as exposure to corrosive agents, local irritants like aspirin and other NSAIDs, alcohol consumption, radiation therapy, physical trauma, severe burns, sepsis,...
01:22Pathophysiology of Peptic Ulcer Disease: Injurious Factors
In the antrum region, G cells secrete the gastrin hormone that binds to gastrin-cholecystokinin-B (CCK2) receptors on parietal and enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells in the fundic glands. Simultaneously, the vagus nerve releases acetylcholine, which binds...
01:24Pathophysiology of Peptic Ulcer Disease: Mucosal Defense Factors
01:30Peptic Ulcer Disease I: Introduction
An acute ulcer, marked by superficial erosion and minimal inflammation, swiftly resolves upon identifying and addressing the underlying cause. In contrast, a chronic ulcer persists, potentially eroding through the muscular wall and forming fibrous tissue.
Peptic ulcers can also be...