adrenomedullin and Gastritis--Atrophic

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a novel hypotensive and vasorelaxing peptide recently isolated from human phaeochromocytoma tissue, and is widely distributed in various organs. In this study we examined the localization of AM-immunoreactive (IR) cells in the gastric mucosa and AM-IR cell density in antral atrophic gastritis.. Gastric mucosal tissues were taken from the gastric body and antral mucosa of 52 patients (27 men, 25 women; mean age 56.0 (range 20-86) years). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that AM-IR cells were present in the pyloric glands, but not in the fundic glands, and that AM-IR cells were stained positively for chromogranin A and gastrin. The percentage of AM-IR cells vs chromogranin A- and gastrin-IR cells was 42 and 56%, respectively. The number of AM-IR cells decreased with the progression of severity of atrophic changes in the pyloric gland, and also of mononuclear cell infiltration. There was no correlation between the number of AM-IR cells and the degree of neutrophilic infiltration. Similar findings were also obtained for gastrin-IR cells.. AM-IR cells are present in the endocrine cells including gastrin-IR cells in the pyloric glands. These results suggest that AM may contribute to gastrin secretion in the pyloric glands.

Topics: Adrenomedullin; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antihypertensive Agents; Cell Count; Chromogranin A; Chromogranins; Enteroendocrine Cells; Female; Gastrins; Gastritis, Atrophic; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Leukocyte Count; Male; Middle Aged; Peptides; Vasodilator Agents