Previous studies have suggested that heat shock proteins (HSP) of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are involved in the induction of autoimmunity mediated gastritis. In the present report, the cross-reactivity between H. pylori-related HSP60 and gastric epithelial cells was investigated by the indirect immunoperoxidase method using two monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against H. pylori-derived HSP60, H9 and H20. H9 is reactive with an epitope common to bacterial HSP60, while H20 is specific to H. pylori HSP60. A total of 70 paraffin-embedded gastric biopsy specimens were analyzed after heat-induced epitope retrieval. Both mAb were cross-reactive with the gastric epithelial cells, with a higher frequency seen for the H9-reactive epitope. The frequency of positive epithelial decoration was not significantly different between H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative gastric mucosae. A variety of epithelial and non-epithelial cells were immunostained with mAb H9, while mAb H20 was cross-reactive only with small intestinal epithelia. Reactivity was mainly located in the Golgi area and rarely in the cytoplasm. These results suggest a noteworthy pitfall in immunohistochemical interpretations of HSP60-associated autoimmune reactions in the gastric mucosa.