Expression of AQP3 gene in chronic atrophic and chronic superficial gastritis patients

BACKGROUND : Most studies about aquaporin 3 (AQP3) in the gastrointestinal tract were carried out on both in vivo and in vitro. The role of AQP3-mediated water transport in human gastrointestinal tract is still unclear. Our aim in this study was to explore the expression of AQP3 gene in chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) and chronic superficial gastritis (CSG) atients and to determine its possible function in the development of gastritis. METHODS : Twenty-two outpatients diagnosed as CSG and 12 outpatients diagnosed as CAG were selected randomly. Ten cases of healthy individuals were selected as normal control group. In all cases, AQP3 gene expression of gastric mucosa was detected by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR). RESULTS : The AQP3 gene expression was significantly higher in gastric mucosa of CSG and healthy individuals than that in CAG (P<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in the AQP3 gene expression between helicobacter pylori positive patients and helicobacter pylori negative patients (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS : AQP3 expression might play certain role in the occurrence and development of gastritis. KEY WORDS : Aquaporin 3, chronic superficial gastritis, chronic atrophic gastritis.