Animal models for the study of Helicobacter-induced gastric carcinoma.

Helicobacter pylori is considered to have a close association with gastric cancer. Many epidemiological studies have shown a strong association between chronic H. pylori infection and subsequent development of gastric carcinoma in humans. To clarify this link more clearly, it is necessary to use this bacterium in experimental studies to develop gastric carcinoma in suitable experimental animals. Persistent H. pylori infection was seen in the Japanese monkey model, and has recently been achieved in the Mongolian gerbil model. In these models, the sequential histopathological changes in the gastric mucosa are very similar to those in humans. The Japanese monkey model showed advances in atrophic change and p53 point mutations in the gastric mucosa during long-term observation. The Mongolian gerbil model demonstrated that H. pylori infection enhances gastric carcinogenesis in combination with known carcinogens such as N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) and N-methyl-N-nitro-N'-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), and also showed that H. pylori infection alone can result in the development of gastric carcinoma. These important results provide a starting point for further studies to clarify the mechanism of gastric carcinogenesis as a result of H. pylori infection and assist in the planning of eradication therapy to prevent gastric carcinoma.