Effect of Helicobacter pylori infection on the activity of class I, III and IV alcohol dehydrogenase in the human stomach

Background/Aims: In the human stomach various alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) isoenzymes exist. The gastric ADH activity is affected by a number of factors including also the infection of Helicobacter pylori. The objective was to investigate the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes of class I, III and IV in endoscopic specimens of gastric mucosa from the different parts of the stomach of men and women, considering the H. pylori infection. Method: Biopsy samples of gastric mucosa were taken from the corpus and antrum of 68 patients (42 of men and 26 of women) suspected for gastric ulcer. The colonization of H. pylori was present in 22 samples of men and 13 samples of women. The activity of class I isoenzyme was measured by the fluorimetric method with a specific substrate (4-methoxy-1-naphthaldehyde) and the activity of class III and IV by the photometric method with n-octanol and m-nitrobenzaldehyde as a substrates, respectively. Results: In infected samples from the antrum and corpus of men's and women's stomachs the activity of class IV isoenzyme was decreased as compared to noninfected specimens. The activity of class III isoenzyme was decreased in the infected samples from the corpus of male patients, but the activity of class I does not significantly differ between infected and noninfected specimens from both sexes. Conclusion: H. pylori infection leads to significant decrease in the activity of class IV ADH in the stomach of men and women. Copyright (C) 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel.