Helicobacter pylori Infection and Monocyte CD14 Receptor Gene Polymorphism in Stroke Patients

Park, Moon Ho; Lee, Seung Hwan; Kim, Byung Jo; Park, Kun Woo; Lee, Dae Hie; Park, Min Kyu

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is accumulation data indicating that infective pathogens such as Helicobacter pylori, Chlamydia pneumonia, cytomegalovirus may be linked to the atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels. As an independent contributing factor, the complex of the CD14 receptor and lipopolysaccharides plays an important role in activating monocytes/macrophages. Especially, C(-260)-->T polymorphism of the CD14 receptor may be a risk factor for athero-sclerotic disease. In the present study, we investigated a possible association between Helicobacter pylori infections as well as the polymorphism of the CD14 receptor and ischemic cerebrovascular disease.
METHODS
A total of 109 patients and 103 controls were included in the study. Patients were divided into stroke subgroups based on pathogenic mechanisms. Helicobacter pylori seropositivity was determined from serum samples. The genomic DNA was isolated from the whole blood and the CD14 receptor genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reactions.
RESULTS
Helicobacter pylori seropositivity was more common in the patients group than in the control group (79.8% vs 65.0%,p=0.012). Moreover, Helicobacter pylori seropositivity was more common in the subgroup with large artery disease (96.0%, p=0.012). The distribution of CD14 receptor genotypes was as follows: patients, T/T 19.3%, T/C 60.6%, C/C 20.2%; controls, T/T 16.5%, T/C 63.1%, C/C 20.4%. There was no significant difference among the polymorphisms of the CD14 receptor. However, in a subgroup with low atherosclerotic risk (normotensive nondiabetics), there was a ten-dency of more frequent T/T genotypes.
CONCLUSIONS
Chronic Helicobacter pylori infections might be a risk factor for ischemic cerebrovascular disease. However, the polymorphism of the CD14 receptor was not associated with an increased risk for ischemic cerebrovascular disease. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(4):337~341, 2001)