AIM:To study the relationship between infection withHelicobacter pylori L-forms and chronic gastritis and itsassociation with possible changes of cellular immune function.METHODS:Gastric mucosal biopsies were taken from 428patients with chronic gastritis to detect H pylori L-form byGram staining and immunohistochemistry staining.Peripheralvenous blood samples of patients were taken to detect thepercentage of CD3+,CD4+ and CD8+ by the biotin-streptavidin (BSA) assay and the levels of IL-2,IL-6and IL-8by ELISA.RESULTS:The rate of infection with H pylori L-formswas 48.83% (209/428).The rate was 50.47% (216/428)and 52.80% (226/428),respectively,as detected byimmunohistochemistry staining and Gram staining (P>0.05).The rate of H pylori L-forms in males and females was57.8% (136/235) and 37.28% (73/193),respectively,(x~2=17.05,P<0.01).Furthermore,the rate increased withage,with the rate being significantly greater in patients≥40 years old than in those <40 years old (P<0.01).Thepercentage of CD3+,CD4+,CD8+,the ratio of CD4+/CD8+,and the levels of IL-2,IL-6,IL-8 in H pylori-positive patientswere 47.58±4.44%,25.51±4.74%,22.77±7.46%,1.44±0.51%,1.56±0.47mg/L,103.62±5.85ng/L,and 109.79±7.18ng/L,respectively.Compared with H pylori-negative patients,thepercentage of CD3+,CD4+ and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+and the IL-2 level decreased,but the levels of IL-6,IL-8increased (P<0.001-P<0.01).Moreover,the percentageof CD3+,CD4+,CD8+,the ratio of CD4+/CD8+,and thelevels of IL-2,IL-6 and IL-8 in patients infected with bothH pylori L-forms and vegetative forms were 46.67±5.21%,30.75±4.89%,22.15±6.45%,1.32±0.47%,1.16±0.38mg/L,116.45±5.44ng/L,and 118.64±6.24ng/L,respectively.Compared with patients infected with only vegetative forms,the percentage of CD_4~+,the ratio of CD4+/CD8+and IL-2level decreased,but the levels of IL-6 and IL-8 increased(P<0.001 or P<0.01).CONCLUSION:L-form variation often occurs in patientswith chronic gastritis and is commonly found in malepatients and associates with ages.The L-form variationmay be an important factor causing disorder of cellularimmune function in the patients with H pylori-inducedchronic gastritis. AIM: To study the relationship between infection withHelicobacter pylori L-forms and chronic gastritis and its association with possible changes of cellular immune function. METHODS: Gastric mucosal biopsies were taken from 428patients with chronic gastritis to detect H pylori L-form byGram staining and immunohistochemistry staining . Peripheralvenous blood samples of patients were taken to detect the percentages of CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + by the biotin-streptavidin (BSA) assay and the levels of IL-2, IL-6 and IL-8by ELISA. The rate was 50.47% (216/428) and 52.80% (226/428), respectively, as detected by immunohistochemistry staining and Gram staining (P> 0.05). The rate of H The rates of withered L-forms in males and females were 57.8% (136/235) and 37.28% (73/193), respectively, (x ~ 2 = 17.05, P <0.01) being significantly greater in patients≥40 years old than than those <40 years old (P <0.01) .percentage of CD4 +, CD8 +, the ratio of CD4 + / CD8 +, and the levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-8 in H pylori-positive patientswere 47.58 ± 4.44%, 25.51 ± 4.74%, 22.77 ± 7.46% 1.44 ± 0.51%, 1.56 ± 0.47 mg / L, 103.62 ± 5.85 ng / L, and 109.79 ± 7.18 ng / L, respectively.Compared with H pylori-negative patients, the percentages of CD3 +, CD4 + and the ratio of CD4 + / CD8 + and the IL-2 level decreased, but the levels of IL-6, IL-8 increased (P <0.001-P <0.01) .oreover, the percentage of CD3 +, CD4 +, CD8 +, the ratio of CD4 + / CD8 + -2, IL-6 and IL-8 in patients infected with both H pylori L-forms and vegetative forms were 46.67 ± 5.21%, 30.75 ± 4.89%, 22.15 ± 6.45%, 1.32 ± 0.47%, 1.16 ± 0.38 mg / 116.45 ± 5.44 ng / L, and 118.64 ± 6.24 ng / L, respectively. Compared with patients infected with only vegetative forms, the percentage of CD_4 ~ +, the ratio of CD4 + / CD8 + and IL-2level decreased, but the levels of IL-6 and IL-8 increased (P <0.001 or P <0.01) .CONCLUSION: L-form variation often occurs in patients with chronic gastritis and is commonly found in male patients and associates withages.The L-form variationmay be an important factor causing disorder of cellularimmune function in the patients with H pylori-induced chronic gastritis.