Figure 2.
Effect of co-culture of gastric epithelial cells with Helicobacter pylori strain 60190 on heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF) expression. (a) HB-EGF gene expression following co-culture of gastric epithelial cells with H pylori pathogenic (60190) and non-pathogenic (Tx30a) strains; *p<0.001 (n=3 replicates per condition and a representative graph is shown, error bars indicate 95% confidence). (b) Cell-associated HB-EGF expression following co-culture of gastric epithelial cells with H pylori pathogenic (60190) and non-pathogenic (Tx30a) strains. Cells were stained for HB-EGF (red fluorescence) and nuclei were counterstained with Hoechst (blue fluorescence); (i) AGS, (ii) AGS/H pylori 60190, (iii) AGS/H pylori Tx30a. Magnification ×20. (c) HB-EGF protein expression level quantified by image analysis following co-culture of gastric epithelial cells with H pylori pathogenic (60190) and non-pathogenic (Tx30a) strains; *significantly higher HB-EGF protein expression level compared with untreated control cells (p<0.03). (d) HB-EGF shedding level following co-culture of gastric epithelial cells with H pylori pathogenic (60190) and non-pathogenic (Tx30a) strains; *significantly higher HB-EGF shedding level compared with untreated control cells (strain 60190 treated: p<0.01 in all cell lines; strain Tx30a treated: p<0.05 in AGS and ST16); #significantly higher HB-EGF shedding level compared with Tx30a treated (p<0.05 in AGS and ST16). (n=3 replicates per condition and a representative graph is shown, error bars indicate 95% confidence).