Question: What causes Mntriers Disease ?
Answer: Scientists are unsure about what causes Mntriers disease; however, researchers think that most people acquire, rather than inherit, the disease. In extremely rare cases, siblings have developed Mntriers disease as children, suggesting a genetic link. Studies suggest that people with Mntriers disease have stomachs that make abnormally high amounts of a protein called transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-). TGF- binds to and activates a receptor called epidermal growth factor receptor. Growth factors are proteins in the body that tell cells what to do, such as grow larger, change shape, or divide to make more cells. Researchers have not yet found a cause for the overproduction of TGF-. Some studies have found cases of people with Mntriers disease who also had Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. H. pylori is a bacterium that is a cause of peptic ulcers, or sores on the lining of the stomach or the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. In these cases, treatment for H. pylori reversed and improved the symptoms of Mntriers disease.1 Researchers have linked some cases of Mntriers disease in children to infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV). CMV is one of the herpes viruses. This group of viruses includes the herpes simplex viruses, which cause chickenpox, shingles, and infectious mononucleosis, also known as mono. Most healthy children and adults infected with CMV have no symptoms and may not even know they have an infection. However, in people with a weakened immune system, CMV can cause serious disease, such as retinitis, which can lead to blindness. Researchers are not sure how H. pylori and CMV infections contribute to the development of Mntriers disease.
Source: NIDDK