Helicobacter pyloriPathogenicity Factors Related to Gastric Cancer

Abstract

Background. Although the causal relationship betweenHelicobacter pyloriinfection and the development of gastric cancer is firmly established, the exact nature of the pathogenicity factors ofH. pylorithat predispose to gastric oncogenesis remains incompletely characterized. We investigated the association betweenH. pylorivirulence genotypes and disease in a well-characterized cohort consisting of 109H. pyloriisolates from gastric biopsies originating from patients.Methods. The prevalence of genotype was assessed by PCR and related to clinical histopathological parameters.Results. The relation ofbabA2andbabBnegative andiceA1positive genotype as a single genotype and the development of cases to GC was statistically significant (P<0.001). ThecagE,cagA, andiceA1were found more commonly in patients with GC as compared with the other groups. The relation of the presence oficeA1and the development of cases to GC was statistically significant (P=0.008), butbabA2andbabBalleles were not detected in these patients. These apparent negative associations were still statically significant (P=0  and 0.005).Conclusion. Our results show an elevated prevalence of infection withH. pyloristrains carrying known virulence genotypes with high genetic diversity. This highlights the importance of identifying gene variants for an early detection of virulent genotypes.