Expression of cytokeratins in Helicobacter pylori –associated chronic gastritis of adult patients infected with cagA+ strains: An immunohistochemical study

Figure 1 CK8 immunoreactivity in antral mucosa of patients with cagA+ H pylori chronic gastritis (A), non-H pylori chronic gastritis (B) and control subjects with normal gastric mucosa (C) with differences of CK8 immunoreactivity in antral mucosa. Original magnification: x10 (A,C); x20 (B).

Figure 2 CK18 immunoreactivity in antral mucosa of patients with cagA+ H pylori chronic gastritis (A) and control subjects without gastritis (B). Original magnification: x10. Cytokeratin 18 immunoreactivity was significantly higher in the foveolar epithelium of H pylori-positive gastritis compared with H pylori-negative gastritis.

Figure 3 CK19 immunoreactivity in antral mucosa of patients with cagA+ H pylori chronic gastritis (A) and non-H pylori chronic gastritis (B). Decrease in CK19 immunoreactivity was found in foveolar epithelium of antral mucosa of H pylori-positive gastritis compared to non-H pylori chronic gastritis. Original magnification: x20 (A, B)

Figure 4 CK20 immunoreactivity in antral mucosa of patients with cagA+ H pylori chronic gastritis (A), non-H pylori chronic gastritis (B) and control subjects with normal gastric mucosa (C). In the cagA+ H pylori chronic gastritis, CK20 expression was decreased in upper foveolar epithelium in comparison to non-H pylori chronic gastritis and control subjects with normal gastric mucosa. Numerous CK20 strong immunoreactive endocrine cells could be observed (() in the glandular epithelium. Original magnification: x20 (A-C)

Figure 5 CK7 immunoreactivity in antral mucosa of patients with cagA+ H pylori chronic gastritis (A), non-H pylori chronic gastritis (B), control subjects with normal gastric mucosa (C), and control specimen of human fetal esophagus (D). Moderate focal CK7 positivity (→) in the pits and the glands of antral mucosa in patients with cagA+ H pylori chronic gastritis could be observed. CK7 positive cells covering a single gland (→) of antral mucosa could be found in patients with non-H pylori chronic gastritis. Normal antral mucosa with a few single cells or cell clusters (→) were strongly decorated with antibody to CK7. Strong CK7 immunoreactivity was displayed in the stratified columnar epithelium (→) of human fetal esophagus of the 13^th gestation week. Original magnification: x10 (A-D).

Figure 6 Typical expression pattern of CK18 (A), CK19 (B), CK20 (C) and CK7 (D) in antral mucosa of patients with cagA+ H pylori chronic gastritis. Strong diffuse cytokeratin 18, moderate focal CK19 and CK20 (C) immunoreactivities were demonstrated in upper foveolar epithelium (→) of the antral mucosa. Moderate focal CK7 positivity (→) was revealed in the pits and the glands of antral mucosa. CK7 immunoreactivity was prominent (*) in some cell clusters of the foveolar epithelium (insert). Original magnification: x10 (A-C), insert x20.