• Xiaoyu Zhang, Ding Shi, Yong Pan Liu, Wu Jie Chen, and Dong Wu.
• Department of Gastroenterology, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China.
• Yonsei Med. J. 2018 Jul 1; 59 (5): 633-642.

PurposeTo investigate the effects of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-CagA and the urease metabolite NH₄⁺ on mucin expression in AGS cells.Materials And MethodsAGS cells were transfected with CagA and/or treated with different concentrations of NH₄CL. Mucin gene and protein expression was assessed by qPCR and immunofluorescence assays, respectively.ResultsCagA significantly upregulated MUC5AC, MUC2, and MUC5B expression in AGS cells, but did not affect E-cadherin and MUC6 expression. MUC5AC, MUC6, and MUC2 expression in AGS cells increased with increasing NH₄⁺ concentrations until reaching a peak level at 15 mM. MUC5B mRNA expression in AGS cells (NH₄⁺ concentration of 15 mM) was significantly higher than that at 0, 5, and 10 mM NH₄⁺. No changes in E-cadherin expression in AGS cells treated with NH₄⁺ were noted, except at 20 mM. The expression of MUC5AC, MUC2, and MUC6 mRNA in CagA-transfected AGS cells at an NH₄⁺ concentration of 15 mM was significantly higher than that at 0 mM, and decreased at higher concentrations. The expression of MUC5B mRNA increased with increases in NH₄⁺ concentration, and was significantly higher compared to that in untreated cells. No significant change in the expression of E-cadherin mRNA in CagA-transfected AGS cells was observed. Immunofluorescence assays confirmed the observed changes.ConclusionH. pylori may affect the expression of MUC5AC, MUC2, MUC5B, and MUC6 in AGS cells via CagA and/or NH₄⁺, but not E-cadherin.© Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2018.

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