Figure 3. Expression of cathelicidin mRNA, interleukin-8 (IL-8) and beta-defensin 2 (hbd2) in biopsies.

From the gastric antrum (A) and corpus/fundus (B) of African and German patients. Data were correlated with helicobacter pylori (HP) infection status. Levels are normalized to glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Data are expressed as ∼fold change in mRNA transcript levels relative to German subjects. Horizontal bars represent median cathelicidin expression. Cathelicidin and hbd2 levels were significantly increased in HP positive compared with HP negative patients. The inflammatory status measured by IL-8 expression correlated well with the HP infection status.