Review
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 7, 2005; 11(45): 7063-7071
Published online Dec 7, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i45.7063
Helicobacter pylori-infected animal models are extremely suitable for the investigation of gastric carcinogenesis
Masaaki Kodama, Kazunari Murakami, Ryugo Sato, Tadayoshi Okimoto, Akira Nishizono, Toshio Fujioka
Masaaki Kodama, Kazunari Murakami, Ryugo Sato, Tadayoshi Okimoto, Toshio Fujioka, Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Hasama-machi, Oita 879-5593, Japan
Akira Nishizono, Department of Infectious Diseases (Microbiology), Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Hasama-machi, Oita 879-5593, Japan
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Masaaki Kodama, Department of Gastroenterology, Oita University, Faculty of Medicine, 1-1, Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Oita-gun, Oita 879-55, Japan. kodm@med.oita-u.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-975-86-6193 Fax: +81-975-86-6194
Received: June 6, 2005
Revised: June 23, 2005
Accepted: June 24, 2005
Published online: December 7, 2005
Abstract

Although various animal models have been developed to clarify gastric carcinogenesis, apparent mechanism of gastric cancer was not clarified in recent years. Since the recognition of the pathogenicity of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori), several animal models with H pylori infection have been developed to confirm the association between H pylori and gastric cancer. Nonhuman primate and rodent models were suitable for this study. Japanese monkey model revealed atrophic gastritis and p53 mutation after long-term infection of H pylori. Mongolian gerbil model showed the development of gastric carcinoma with H pylori infection alone, as well as with combination of chemical carcinogens, such as N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and N-methyl-N-nitro-N'-nitrosoguanidine. The histopathological changes of these animal models after H pylori inoculation are closely similar to those in human beings with H pylori infection. Eradication therapy attenuated the development of gastric cancer in H pylori-infected Mongolian gerbil. Although several features of animal models differ from those seen in human beings, these experimental models provide a starting point for further studies to clarify the mechanism of gastric carcinogenesis as a result of H pylori infection and assist the planning of eradication therapy to prevent gastric carcinoma.

Keywords: Helicobacter pylori; Gastric carcinoma; Animal model; Japanese monkey; Mongolian gerbil