Fig. 5.

Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis of GFP and gastrin expression in the stomachs of mGAS-EGFP mice and serum gastrin levels after systemic infusion of octreotide, overnight fasting, and Helicobacter felis infection. A: GFP and gastrin mRNA expression were analyzed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR in the stomachs of mGAS-EGFP mice after systemic infusion of octreotide, long-lasting somatostatin (SST) homolog, for 2 wk or overnight fasting or Helicobacter felis infection for 6 wk; n = 3 for each group. Both of GFP and gastrin expression in the stomachs of mGAS-EGFP mice after these treatments showed lower expression level, especially overnight fasting resulted in significantly lower expression compared with mice without treatment. *P < 0.05; n = 3 for each group. B: total amidated gastrin levels were measured in serum from mGAS-EGFP mice after systemic infusion of octreotide for 2 wk or overnight fasting or H. felis infection for 6 wk; n = 3 for each group. Hypogastrinemia was induced by octreotide infusion or overnight fasting, especially overnight fasting resulted in significantly lower serum gastrin levels compared with vehicle only, whereas H. felis infection did not change serum gastrin levels. *P < 0.05; n = 3 for each group. C: H. felis colonization in the stomachs of H. felis-infected mGAS-EGFP transgenic mice at 6 and 32 wk (6w and 32w) postinfection as measured by quantitative real-time PCR of genomic DNAs; n = 3 for each group. DNA copy numbers of H. felis normalized to GAPDH (per 100,000 copies) in the stomachs were approximately the same among the 2 time points. Of note, no H. felis DNAs were detected in the stomachs of mGAS-EGFP mice without infection.