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Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) infection has been involved in the pathogenesis of most important gastroduodenal diseases. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a large family of zincendopeptidases which play important roles in degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and various inflammatory diseases. Therefore, we examined MMP-7 mRNA levels in the gastric mucosa of patients withH. pyloriinfection and evaluated the effects of virulence factors, such asvacA(vacuolating cytotoxin A) andcagA(cytotoxin-associated gene), inH. pylori-infected patients upon the MMP-7 mRNA mucosal levels. We also determined the correlation between mucosal MMP-7 mRNA levels and the types of disease. Total RNA was extracted from gastric biopsies of 50H. pylori-infected patients and 50 uninfected individuals. Mucosal MMP-7 mRNA expression level inH. pylori-infected and non-infected gastric biopsies was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The presences of cagA and vacA virulence factors was evaluated using PCR. MMP-7 expression was significantly higher in biopsies of patients infected withH .pyloricompared to uninfected individuals. In addition, mucosal MMP-7 mRNA expression inH. pylori-infected patients significantly associated with thecagAstatus and the types of disease. Our results suggest that MMP-7 might be involved in the pathogenesis ofH. pylori. Peptic ulcer was associated withcagpathogenicity island-dependent MMP-7 upregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]