AUTHOR=Kim Dong-Uk , Na Jae Yoon , Paik Seung Sam , Jee Seungyun , Lee Young Ho , Kim Yong Joo 

TITLE=Mucosal distribution of somatostatin-secreting gastric Delta cells in children with gastrointestinal reflux diseases

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2023.1275842

DOI=10.3389/fped.2023.1275842

ISSN=2296-2360

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Gastric delta cells (D-cells) secrete somatostatin, which is the primary paracrine suppressor of acid secretion. The number and distribution of D-cells were investigated in children exhibiting endoscopic findings of duodenogastric and gastroesophageal reflux. This study aimed to determine whether the number of D-cells in the gastric body differs from that in the gastric antrum in children using endoscopic findings.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>We retrospectively used immunohistochemical assessments to determine the number of D-cells in the gastric body and antrum in 102 children who presented with abdominal symptoms. The number and distribution of D-cells were investigated according to symptoms, endoscopic findings of gastroesophageal reflux and duodenogastric reflux, and <italic>Helicobacter pylori</italic> infection status.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>The average age of the patients was 13.3 ± 3.3 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1:1.68. The mean number of D-cells per high-power field in the antrum and body did not significantly differ by symptoms. However, these values were significantly lower in the gastric body than in the antrum for all symptoms (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05). Children with reflux had a higher mean number of D-cells (9.6 ± 8.8) in the gastric body than did those without reflux (4.3 ± 3.4) (<italic>p </italic>= 0.007). Furthermore, the number of D-cells in the gastric body was marginally significantly lower in <italic>Helicobacter pylori</italic>-positive children (4.9 ± 6.5) than in <italic>Helicobacter pylori</italic>-negative children (8.5 ± 8.2) (<italic>p</italic> = 0.053).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>The number of D-cells in the gastric body decreased in <italic>Helicobacter pylori</italic>-positive children but significantly increased in children with duodenogastric reflux. Therefore, somatostatin peptide secretion by D-cells may be a major pathophysiological pathway in gastrointestinal reflux disease.</p></sec>