Expression of iron binding and transport genes in murine gastric mucosa.

<p>Relative expression levels of genes involved in the binding and transport of iron were measured by qRT-PCR in tissue taken from the gastric corpus mucosa of INS-GAS mice at 9 months post-infection with <i>H. felis</i> and in age-matched uninfected INS-GAS mice and FVB/N controls. The graphs represent the mRNA abundance of the test genes relative to the house keeping gene, <i>Gapdh</i>. Uninfected (<b>white bars</b>) (n = 10) and <i>H. felis</i> infected (<b>hatched bars</b>) transgenic INS-GAS mice (n = 10) were compared to the uninfected FVB/N genetic background control (<b>solid bars</b>) (n = 5). The relative levels of Divalent Metal transporter 1 gene (<i>Dmt1</i>) (<b>A</b>), Transferrin receptor 1 (<i>Tfr1</i>) gene (<b>B</b>) and Lipocalin 2 (<i>Lcn2</i>) gene (<b>C</b>) were assessed. Error bars represent mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis by unpaired <i>t</i> test with Welch’s correction.</p

Real time PCR primers.

<p>Real time PCR primers.</p

Iron parameters in INS-GAS mice at 3, 6 and 9 months post-infection with <i>H. felis.</i>

<p>Box and whisker plots of serum iron (<b>A</b>), total iron binding capacity (TIBC) (<b>B</b>), transferrin saturation (<b>C</b>) and serum ferritin (<b>D</b>) in uninfected (<b>white boxes</b>) and <i>H. felis</i> infected (<b>hatched boxes</b>) INS-GAS mice. Time points as marked, group size n = 16−20, whiskers represent maximum/minimum values. Statistical analysis by unpaired <i>t</i> test with Welch’s correction.</p

Gastric histopathology in INS-GAS mice at 3,6 and 9 months post-infection with <i>H. felis</i>.

<p>Grade of gastric inflammation (<b>A</b>), corpus atrophy (<b>B</b>) and dysplasia (<b>C</b>) in uninfected control (<b>white bars</b>) and <i>H. felis</i> infected INS-GAS mice (<b>hatched bars</b>). Group size n = 5–7. Error bars represent mean ± SEM, when error present. Statistical analysis by the Mann Whitney U test.</p

Parietal cell number in INS-GAS mice at 3, 6 and 9 months post-infection with <i>H. felis.</i>

<p>Box and whisker plots of gastric parietal cell number in uninfected (<b>white boxes</b>) and <i>H. felis</i> infected (<b>hatched boxes</b>) INS-GAS mice. Group size n = 5−7 mice, whiskers represent maximum/minimum values. Statistical test is an unpaired <i>t</i> test with Welch’s correction.</p

Expression of iron metabolism regulation genes in murine gastric mucosa.

<p>Relative expression levels of genes involved in the regulation of iron metabolism were measured by qRT-PCR in biopsies of the gastric corpus mucosa of INS-GAS mice at 9 months post-infection with <i>H. felis</i> and in age-matched uninfected INS-GAS mice and FVB/N controls. The graphs represent the mRNA abundance of the test genes relative to the house keeping gene, <i>Gapdh</i>. Uninfected (<b>white bars</b>) (n = 10) and <i>H. felis</i> infected (<b>hatched bars</b>) transgenic INS-GAS mice (n = 10) were compared to the uninfected FVB/N genetic background control (<b>solid bars</b>) (n = 5). The relative levels of total hepcidin genes (<i>Hamp 1</i> and <i>2</i>) (<b>A</b>), Ferroportin 1 (<i>Fpn1</i>) gene (<b>B</b>), bone morphogenic protein gene 4 (<i>Bmp4</i>) (<b>C</b>) and 6 (<i>Bmp6</i>) gene (<b>D</b>) were assessed. Error bars represent mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis by unpaired <i>t</i> test with Welch’s correction.</p