6th Annual BMRP Investigator Meeting - Abstract
Assessment of non-pylori Helicobacter Species in Ulcerative Colitis
John M. Thomson1,b, James G. Fox2 , Emad El-Omar1 , Georgina L. Hold1,a
1Gastroenterology Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen (United Kingdom); 2Division of Comparative Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Boston, U.S.A.)
The role of non-pylori Helicobacter species in inflammatory bowel disease remains controversial with conflicting results from published studies. In order to address this question we utilised a previously optimised highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to screen mucosal pinch biopsies from patients with ulcerative colitis and a normal control group, with the purpose of attempting to culture the non-pylori Helicobacter species from the biopsies shown to contain non-pylori Helicobacter. Screening of the samples using PCR was negative for non-pylori Helicobacter species. Therefore alternative molecular techniques were employed. Our group had previously optimised a Fluorescent in-situ hybridisation (FISH) technique in colitis samples to identify non-pylori Helicobacter species. Screening of the samples using this technique revealed that 79% of the colitis samples contained non-pylori Helicobacter species compared to 23% of the control samples. This result was confirmed using Southern blot suggesting that the negative PCR screening was due to extremely low copy numbers. Culture has been attempted on the positive results but as yet has not revealed a positive culture. We have demonstrated that the detection of Helicobacter species from mucosal pinch biopsies varies widely depending on the technique employed and this casts doubt on the published negative studies where a single molecular approach has been used. Therefore, the importance of culture remains paramount to answering this important clinical question.
The role of non-pylori Helicobacter species in inflammatory bowel disease remains controversial with conflicting results from published studies. In order to address this question we utilised a previously optimised highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to screen mucosal pinch biopsies from patients with ulcerative colitis and a normal control group, with the purpose of attempting to culture the non-pylori Helicobacter species from the biopsies shown to contain non-pylori Helicobacter. Screening of the samples using PCR was negative for non-pylori Helicobacter species. Therefore alternative molecular techniques were employed. Our group had previously optimised a Fluorescent in-situ hybridisation (FISH) technique in colitis samples to identify non-pylori Helicobacter species. Screening of the samples using this technique revealed that 79% of the colitis samples contained non-pylori Helicobacter species compared to 23% of the control samples. This result was confirmed using Southern blot suggesting that the negative PCR screening was due to extremely low copy numbers. Culture has been attempted on the positive results but as yet has not revealed a positive culture. We have demonstrated that the detection of Helicobacter species from mucosal pinch biopsies varies widely depending on the technique employed and this casts doubt on the published negative studies where a single molecular approach has been used. Therefore, the importance of culture remains paramount to answering this important clinical question.
aPrincipal Investigator; bCo-Investigator and Presenter