Helicobacter pylori vacA and cagA genotype diversity and interferon gamma expression in patients with chronic gastritis and patients with gastric cancer

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the main risk factor for the development of chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer, and gastric cancer. In H. pylori-infected individuals, the clinical result is dependent on various factors, among which are bacterial components, the immune response, and environmental influence. Aims: To compare IFN- expression with the H. pylori vacA and cagA genotypes in patients with chronic gastritis and patients with gastric cancer. Methods: Ninety-five patients diagnosed with chronic gastritis and 20 with gastric cancer were included in the study. Three gastric biopsies were taken; one was used for the molecular detec- tion and genotyping of H. pylori; another was fixed in absolute alcohol and histologic sections were made for determining IFN- expression through immunohistochemistry.