T-LYMPHOCYTE RESPONSES TO HELICOBACTER-PYLORI IN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD AND GASTRIC-MUCOSA OF PATIENTS WITH GASTRITIS

Aim: To study T-cell mediated immunity in response to Helicobacter pylori infection. Methods: The CD4+ T-cell response to H. pylori was examined in peripheral blood and gastric mucosa of H. pylori-infected gastritis patients. Major histocompatibility complex class II-restricted CD4+ T lymphocytes were cloned by limited dilution and screened for recognition of different strains of H. pylori. Results: Isolated T-cell clones were able to discriminate between cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic H. pylori strains. Conclusions: Functional and structural studies of local and peripheral T-cell immunity to H. pylori can provide information on the pathogenesis of H. pylori infection and may be useful in designing H. pylori vaccines.