[Micronucleus effect induced by Helicobacter pylori on human gastric mucous epithelial membrane]

A large number of data from epidemiologic and statistical studies showed there was a relationship between infection of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) and gastric carcinogenesis, but its mechanism was unclear. Micronucleus test in vitro, one of cytogenotoxic studies, was carried out to study mutagenicity of Hp. Results showed micronucleus formation in gastric mucous epithelial membrane cell GES-1 treated with ultra-sonicated Hp for 72 hours was significantly greater than in the negative controls. There existed a dose-response relationship between them when concentration of Hp reached a range of 0.3-1.7 mg/L. As concentration of Hp reached 1.7 mg/L, percentage of micronucleus formation was five times higher than that of controls. When concentration of Hp increased to 4.3 to 10.7 mg/L, micronucleus formation did not increase but it was still over two times higher than that in controls. It suggests that there exists a direct cytogenotoxic effect of Hp on human gastric mucous epithelial membrane.