Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide alters ECL cell DNA synthesis via a CD14 receptor and polyamine pathway in Mastomys

Chronic Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with alterations in gastric mucosal cell proliferation. Despite the recognition that bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is present in biologically active quantities in the gastric mucosa, the mechanisms by which it stimulates cells are largely unknown. We have previously established a gastric enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cell neoplasia model in the African rodent species Mastomys and identified that tumor ECL cell proliferation is associated with polyamine biosynthesis and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity. In addition, we have shown that H. pylori LPS exhibits a specific mitogenic effect on naive ECL cells in vitro. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether H. pylori has a direct effect on tumor ECL cell proliferation in vitro and further to evaluate the possible molecular mechanisms for this effect. ECL cell neoplasia was generated in Mastomys by endogenous hypergastrinemia induced by H2 blockade (loxtidine 1 g/kg/day) and tumor ECL cells prepared. The DNA synthesis in 24-hour cultured tumor cells was measured by bromodeoxyuridine uptake and ODC activity by 14CO2 formation from 14C-ornithine. The putative LPS receptor, CD14, was evaluated by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Our results demonstrated: (1) H. pylori LPS (10-12 to 10-7 M stimulated basal DNA synthesis (2.2-fold) with an estimated EC50 of 10-10M; (2) this proliferative response correlated with an increase in ODC activity (1.4-fold, EC50 ~ 10-10 M which could be inhibited by a specific ODC inhibitor, difluoromethyl ornithine, at 10-9 M; (3) the CD14 receptor was identified in both naive and transformed ECL cells by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and (4) the effects of LPS were inhibited by blocking the CD14 receptor with its specific monoclonal antibody (1:100). Thus, H. pylori LPS appears to influence tumor ECL cell proliferation by activation of the intracellular polyamine pathway and ODC activity via a CD14 receptor on the ECL cell. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.