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The aim of the project is to identify host factors, in particular components of the host mucosal immune system that may be critical for protection against H. pylori-associated disease, in particular peptic ulcers and stomach cancer. It is based on recently reported findings by MIVAC researchers that ; 1) duodenal ulcer (DU) patients harbour higher levels of neutrophils in the lamina propria and that very low levels of cytokines (IL-1, IL-8, IL-6, TGF-β) are produced by the duodenal epithelium in DU patients compared to asymptomatic carriers; 2) that TNFα and iNOS producing dendritic cells (Tip-DC) are constitutively present in the ileum and have been shown to be important for both induction of IgA responses and innate immunity during bacterial infections and 3) that studies in MUC1 deficient mice have indicated that MUC1 may have a protective effect against H. pylori infections. The project combines expertise in imaging, physiology, mucus/carbohydrate biochemistry, immunology, and H. pylori bacteriology within MIVAC.

A volunteer unit (CTU) has been established to allow MIVAC researchers to work with clinical materials from patient and healthy volunteers. A confocal endomicroscope is available in this unit and will be used to collect gastric biopsies from areas with or without bacteria or with more or less intense gastric inflammation using topical application of fluorescent probes.

Postdoc involved in the project: Malin Sundquist.