Brief Reports
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2005. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 14, 2005; 11(30): 4721-4726
Published online Aug 14, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i30.4721
Long-term omeprazole and esomeprazole treatment does not significantly increase gastric epithelial cell proliferation and epithelial growth factor receptor expression and has no effect on apoptosis and p53 expression
Istvan Hritz, Laszlo Herszenyi, Bela Molnar, Zsolt Tulassay, Laszlo Pronai
Istvan Hritz, Laszlo Herszenyi, Bela Molnar, Zsolt Tulassay, Laszlo Pronai, 2nd Department of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Clinical Gastroenterology Research Unit, Budapest, Hungary
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the National Science Foundation (OTKA Grant No: T 034345)
Correspondence to: Dr. Istvan Hritz, 2nd Dept Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Szentkirályi u. 46, Hungary. hritz.istvan@freemail.hu
Telephone: +36-1-266-0901 Fax: +36-1-266-0816
Received: May 25, 2004
Revised: July 10, 2004
Accepted: July 15, 2004
Published online: August 14, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To study the effect of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment on patients with reflux esophagitis and its in vivo effect on apoptosis, p53- and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression.

METHODS: After informed consent was obtained, gastric biopsies of the antrum were taken from patients with reflux oesophagitis prior to and after 6 mo of 20 mg omeprazole (n = 14) or 40 mg esomeprazole (n = 12) therapy. Patients did not take any other medications known to affect the gastric mucosa. All patients were Helicobacter pylori negative as confirmed by rapid urease test and histology, respectively. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, EGFR, and p53 expression were measured by immunohistochemical techniques. At least 600 glandular epithelial cells were encountered and results were expressed as percentage of total cells counted. Was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: Although there was a trend towards increase of cell proliferation and EGFR expression both in omeprazole and esomeprazole treated group, the difference was not statistically significant. Neither apoptosis nor p53 expression was affected.

CONCLUSION: Long-term PPI treatment does not significantly increase gastric epithelial cell proliferation and EGFR expression and has no effect on apoptosis and p53 expression.

Keywords: Proton pump inhibitor, Omeprazole, Esomeprazole, Cell proliferation, Apoptosis, p53 expression, Epidermal growth factor receptor