Is Intestinal Metaplasia of the Stomach Reversible? Gut: First Published As 10.1136/Gut.52.1.1 on 1 January 2003
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1 LEADING ARTICLE Is intestinal metaplasia of the stomach reversible? Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.52.1.1 on 1 January 2003. Downloaded from M M Walker ............................................................................................................................. Gut 2003;52:1–4 Intestinal metaplasia (IM) of the stomach is a risk factor another, which implies adaptation to environ- in developing intestinal-type gastric cancer and hence mental stimuli, and that embryological commit- ments can be reversed or erased under certain the question of reversibility is vital. There is emerging circumstances.1 Epidemiological studies have epidemiological evidence that with long term follow up, shown that IM in the stomach has a high cancer IM may be reversible although a combination of risk and is therefore defined as a precancerous condition—a clinical state associated with a antioxidant agents and eradication of H pylori may be significantly increased risk of cancer. Dysplasia is necessary to achieve this. The pathogenesis of IM is a precancerous lesion—a histopathological ab- currently being elucidated and it is likely that a normality in which cancer is more likely to occur than in its apparently normal counterpart.2 For combination of bacterial, host, and environmental example, a study carried out in two provinces in factors will be shown to lead to IM. In assessing gastric China with high and low cancer risks showed that cancer risk, histochemical typing of IM will most the prevalence of IM was much higher in an area with a high risk for gastric cancer.3 probably be replaced by molecular markers. .......................................................................... “IM in the stomach has a high cancer risk and is therefore defined as a precancerous SUMMARY condition” As intestinal metaplasia (IM) of the stomach is a risk factor in developing intestinal-type gastric Using a gastric cancer risk index, IM was the cancer, the question of reversibility is vital. The only criteria associated with the development of pathogenesis of gastric IM is being investigated intestinal-type gastric cancer in Japan.4 A long and it is likely that a combination of genetic term study concluded that there is an increased aspects of both Helicobacter pylori and the host, and risk of gastric cancer in subjects infected with H http://gut.bmj.com/ also environmental factors will be shown to cause pylori, severe gastric atrophy, body predominant this precancerous condition. There is emerging gastritis, or IM.5 Therefore, if IM is reversible, epidemiological evidence that with long term fol- there are tangible benefits in reduction in gastric low up (at least five years after H pylori cancer risk. eradication) IM may be reversible. Abolition of H pylori alone may not be the answer and combina- IF IM IS REVERSIBLE WE NEED TO tion with other chemopreventive agents may be UNDERSTAND THE PATHOGENESIS on September 30, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. necessary. IM can be elusive and it is necessary to Of the different types of metaplasia in the undertake careful endoscopic evaluation and stomach, intestinal-type is the most common and biopsy likely sites (the lesser curve and angulus). it is associated with H pylori infection and bile In assessing gastric cancer risk, histochemical reflux.6 Experimentally, irradiation induces IM.7 typing of IM will probably be replaced by molecu- lar markers although neither of these at present H pylori and IM provides a better cancer risk index than simple H pylori has been implicated as a major cause of gastritis scores of antral and body mucosa and the IM. Two major studies provide epidemiological mere presence of IM. evidence for this. In a 10 year follow up of 35 patients with H pylori, IM progression was IS INTESTINAL METAPLASIA OF THE observed in 49% while no IM was seen during this STOMACH REVERSIBLE? time in non-infected patients.5 Another study of It is of fundamental importance to answer this 2455 individuals showed that IM was present in question—if IM of the stomach is reversible, 43.1% of H pylori positive patients compared with therapeutic intervention may be possible but if 6.2% of uninfected subjects. ....................... not, efforts can only be directed at prevention. “H pylori has been implicated as a major Correspondence to: However, in attempting to solve this issue, two M M Walker, Department major problems arise. Firstly, is the pathogenesis cause of IM” of Histopathology, Faculty of IM understood and therefore can intervention of Medicine, Imperial halt or reverse progression? Secondly, can we Atrophic gastritis and IM were strongly associ- College of Science, Technology and Medicine, diagnose and monitor the condition with any ated with H pylori and not with aging, leading to St Mary’s Campus, Norfolk degree of certainty? the conclusion that with a high prevalence of the Place, London W2 1PG, UK; [email protected] WHAT CAUSES IM AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT IT IS REVERSIBLE? ................................................. Accepted for publication 21 October 2002 Metaplasia is defined as a potentially reversible Abbreviations: IM, intestinal metaplasia; COX-2, ....................... change from a fully differentiated cell type to cyclooxygenase 2; MSI, microsatellite instability. www.gutjnl.com 2 Walker precursor lesion the risk of development of early gastric cancer precancerous process, mostly by increasing the rate of will continue to remain high in Japan.8 However, H pylori most regression of cancer precursor lesions.22 likely acts in concert with other factors to promote IM. Molecular events Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.52.1.1 on 1 January 2003. Downloaded from Is it all in the genes? At the molecular level, the sequence of events is under inves- Recently, it has been shown that a variation in host and bacte- tigation. Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a genetic anomaly rial genetic background predisposes to the development of IM. in tumours and identified when alleles of novel sizes are There is evidence that IM is associated with cagA, functional detected in microsatellite sequences derived from cancer DNA oipA in H pylori, and IL-1RN 2 allele in patients from Italy,9 and that are not present in normal tissues of the same individual. another study on family risk of gastric cancer showed that first These can be detected in IM and the progressive accumulation degree relatives of patients with gastric cancer have an of MSI in areas of IM may contribute to gastric cancer increased prevalence of IM, which is strongly confined to development.23 MSI can be shown to be due to epigenetic those with H pylori infection.10 silencing of the hMLH1 gene caused by hypermethylation of a CpG island in the promoter region and was found recently to Other promoters of IM be an important cause of mismatch repair deficiency in 11 These include lack of vitamin C and cigarette smoking. The sporadic gastric cancer.24 Cyclins and cyclin dependent kinase concept of atrophy, subsequent hypochlorhydria with bacterial inhibitors play a crucial role in the control of cell cycle transi- overgrowth, and nitrate generation that damage DNA must also tions. Enhanced expression of cyclin D2 and reduced be considered. A European study showed that patients with IM expression of p27 have been implicated in the pathogenesis of had a significantly higher proportion of gastric juice samples cancer, and over expression of cyclin D2 and reduced expres- 12 containing bacteria and nitrite and had a gastric pH >6. The sion of p27 are closely linked to H pylori associated IM. Eradi- role of hypochlorhydria is interesting; studies in rats with IM cation of H pylori infection reverses the aberrant expression of induced by irradiation showed reversal following lowering of cyclin D2 and p27 in IM.25 These are potential areas for inter- 13 gastric pH. Bile is also a major factor in promotion of IM. An ventional strategies. early study from Leeds showed that after stratification for pre- vious surgery, age, and H pylori status, the histological feature “Expression of CDX2 may trigger the initiation and most strongly associated with bile reflux was IM, including all subtypes.6 Bile in combination with H pylori in rats promotes development of IM in the stomach” cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) expression in body mucosa and when bile was added, COX-2 expression in histologically normal In the gastrointestinal tract, homeobox genes regulate the appearing body mucosa was associated with cell proliferation, renewal of epithelium at given locations. CDX1 and CDX2 atrophy, and IM in the antrum.14 Sung et al also showed that genes are intestinal transcription factors that regulate both premalignant and malignant gastric lesions in human proliferation and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells subjects demonstrate high COX-2 expression. Successful eradi- and the CDX1/2 protein is predominantly expressed in the cation of H pylori caused downregulation of COX-2 expression small intestine and colon but not in the normal adult stomach. 26 but failed to reverse IM at one year.15 These genes also have an important role in tumorigenesis. In IM, expression of CDX2 precedes those of CDX1, sucrase- http://gut.bmj.com/ EPIDEMIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF REVERSAL OF IM isomaltase, other intestine specific genes (human defensin 5, Does H pylori eradication reverse IM? alkaline phosphatase), and MUC2 during progression of IM. While this issue has been addressed extensively, there is no These findings imply that expression of CDX2 may trigger the 27 concerted view on regression following eradication of H initiation and development of IM in the stomach. pylori.16 A randomised one year follow up study reported that What switches on CDX1/2 genes in the stomach? The key 28 H pylori eradication was beneficial in preventing progression of here is possibly mesenchymal alteration. The inflammatory 17 atrophy and IM of the gastric mucosa and recent presenta- response to H pylori is also sited in mesenchyme and therefore on September 30, 2021 by guest.