Molecular Mechanism of Gastric Carcinogenesis in Helicobacter pylori-Infected Rodent Models

Abstract

Since the discovery of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), many efforts have been made to establish animal models for the investigation of the pathological features and molecular mechanisms of gastric carcinogenesis. Among the animal models, Mongolian gerbils and mice are particularly useful for the analysis of H. pylori-associated inflammatory reactions and gastric cancer development. Inhibitors of oxidative stress, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor-κB, exert preventive effects on chronic gastritis and the development of adenocarcinomas in H. pylori-infected gerbils. Genetically-modified mouse models, including transgenic and knockout mice, have also revealed the importance of p53, COX-2/prostaglandin, Wnt/β-catenin, proinflammatory cytokines, gastrin and type III mucin in the molecular mechanisms of gastric carcinogenesis. Microarray technology is available for comprehensive gene analysis in the gastric mucosa of mouse models, and epigenetics, such as DNA methylation, could be an alternative approach to correlate the observations in animal models with the etiology in humans.

Keywords

• gastric cancer
• Helicobacter pylori
• molecular mechanism
• carcinogenesis
• mouse
• Mongolian gerbil