Abstract

Background and aims: Acid secretion plays an important role in the ecology of Helicobacter species and acid secretory status heralds patterns of gastritis. The presence of inflammatory cells and their products, in close proximity to parietal cells, questions the extent of the effect of cytokines on acid secretion.

Methods: We adopted and extensively characterised the mouse gastric gland preparation and its secretory capacity, which was measured using ¹⁴C-aminopyrine accumulation. Subsequently, we tested the secretory properties of a wide range of species specific cytokines, including those associated with Th1 and Th2 immune responses.

Results:¹⁴C-aminopyrine accumulation in mouse gastric glands was shown to be a very sensitive “in vitro” method of testing classical secretagogues and antisecretory compounds, and provided pharmacological data on acid secretion in the mouse. Only two mouse cytokines, interleukin 2 and interferon γ, had a direct effect on acid secretion causing dose dependent inhibition.

Conclusions: Both cytokines belong to the Th1 type immune response and consequently their inhibitory effect may play a role in the hyposecretion seen with H pylori infection and colonisation throughout the corpus of the stomach that potentially can lead to gastric atrophy and subsequently, in some cases, cancer.