We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Cytotoxic Lymphocytes Fight Stomach Cancer

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 15 Jul 2010
Cells in the immune system that react to stomach cancer bacterium have been identified.

Helicobacter pylori are Gram-negative, microaerophilic bacteria that can inhabit various areas of the stomach, particularly the antrum. More...
It is one of the most common bacterial infections in the world, and leads to chronic inflammation of the stomach.

These bacteria cause a chronic low-level rubor of the stomach lining, and are strongly linked to the development of duodenal and gastric ulcers and stomach cancer. As the symptoms of stomach carcinomas are varied, they are often discovered at a late stage and have a very poor prognosis. Over 80% of individuals infected with H. pylori are generally symptom-free.

Natural killer (NK) cells, a type of immune cell, can both recognize and kill cells that are infected by viruses and bacteria as well as tumor cells. They kill cells by releasing small cytoplasmic granules of proteins called perforin and granzyme that cause the target cell to die by apoptosis.

A team of scientists at the University of Gothenburg (Gothenburg, Sweden) examined how NK cells reacted to H. pylori. They found that a special type of NK cells was active against the stomach ulcer bacterium and the NK cells produced cytokines, which are the immune system's signal substances and act as a defense against the intruder.

Gastric or stomach cancer is a malignant tumor in the mucous membrane of the stomach, and is one of the more common forms of cancer in Sweden. There are about 24,000 new cases of this disease diagnosed annually in the USA.

Asa Lindgren, Ph.D., who wrote her doctoral thesis on the subject, suggests that NK cells can play an important role in the immune defense against H. pylori. Previously it was shown that a high proportion of NK cells in tumor tissue have contributed to a better prognosis and longer survival for patients with stomach cancer, as these cells help to eliminate the tumor cells.

Related Links:
University of Gothenburg




New
Gold Member
Serological Pipets
INTEGRA Serological Pipets
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
New
Capillary Blood Collection Tube
IMPROMINI M3
New
Clinical Chemistry System
P780
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: The microfluidic device for passive separation of platelet-rich plasma from whole blood (Photo courtesy of University of the Basque Country)

Portable and Disposable Device Obtains Platelet-Rich Plasma Without Complex Equipment

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) plays a crucial role in regenerative medicine due to its ability to accelerate healing and repair tissue. However, obtaining PRP traditionally requires expensive centrifugation... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: Researchers have developed a novel method to analyze tumor growth rates (Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock)

Novel Method To Analyze Tumor Growth Rates Helps Tracks Progression Between Diagnosis and Surgery

Patients diagnosed with breast cancer often worry about how quickly their tumors grow while they wait for surgery, and whether delays in treatment might allow the disease to spread beyond the point of cure.... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Causarray uses statistics and data science to identify the genetic changes behind neurological conditions (Photo courtesy of CMU)

Statistical Tool Identifies Genetic Changes Behind Neurological Conditions

Identifying the genetic changes that cause complex neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia has remained a major scientific challenge. Although scientists have long identified genes associated... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.