Inhibition of low-density lipoprotein uptake by Helicobacter pylori virulence factor CagA

Helicobacter pylori virulence factor CagA promotes Snail-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasive behavior by downregulating Semaphorin 5A in gastric epithelial cells

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is one of the major risk factors of stomach cancer. Strains carrying the oncogenic cytotoxin CagA (cytotoxin-associated gene A) induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and contribute to tumor progression and metastasis. However, the mechanism in which CagA induces EMT has not been defined. In this study, using genetic methods in Drosophila, we identified Semaphorin 5A (SEMA5A) as a new target for CagA. We showed that infection with CagA-positive H. pylori downregulated the expression level of SEMA5A to induce expression of EMT-driving transcription factor Snail and mesenchymal marker N-cadherin, and promote invasive behavior in gastric epithelial cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that transient over-expression of SEMA5A in H. pylori-infected cells inhibited CagA-mediated gain of mesenchymal phenotype. These results suggest that SEMA5A could be a key mediator of EMT and gastric carcinogenesis caused by CagA-positive H. pylori infection.

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with the risk and phenotypes of cholelithiasis: A multi-center study and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a prevalent pathogen associated with various diseases. Cholelithiasis is also a common condition. H. pylori infection has been identified in the biliary system, suggesting its potential involvement in biliary diseases. However, the specific role of H. pylori in the development of cholelithiasis remains inconclusive.

AIM

To investigate the potential association between H. pylori infection and the development of cholelithiasis.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study in more than 70000 subjects in health examination center from 3 institutions in the middle, northern and eastern China, from October 2018 to December 2021, to explore the potential association between H. pylori and cholelithiasis through univariate and multivariate analysis. Meanwhile, the influence of H. pylori on biliary-related parameters was investigated. A comprehensive analysis of previous studies concerned about H. pylori and cholelithiasis was also executed.

RESULTS

In our multi-center study, H. pylori was positively associated with cholelithiasis [odds ratio (OR) = 1.103, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.001-1.216, P = 0.049]. Furthermore, H. pylori patients had less total and direct bilirubin than uninfected patients, while the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were more in H. pylori-positive participants (P < 0.05). In the published articles, the cohort studies indicated H. pylori was a risk factor of cholelithiasis (hazard ratio =1.3280, 95%CI: 1.1810-1.4933, P < 0.0001). The pooled results of case-control and cross-sectional studies showed positive association between H. pylori and cholelithiasis in Asia (OR = 1.5993, 95%CI: 1.0353-2.4706, P = 0.034) but not in Europe (OR = 1.2770, 95%CI: 0.8446-1.9308, P = 0.246). Besides, H. pylori was related to a higher choledocholithiasis/cholecystolithiasis ratio (OR = 3.3215, 95%CI: 1.1034-9.9986, P = 0.033).

CONCLUSION

H. pylori is positively correlated with cholelithiasis, choledocholithiasis phenotype particularly, especially in Asia, which may be relevant to bilirubin/cholesterol metabolism. Cohort studies confirm an increased risk of cholelithiasis in H. pylori patients.

The Interplay between Helicobacter pylori and Gut Microbiota in Non-Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Special Focus on Atherosclerosis

The discovery of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in the early 1980s by Nobel Prize winners in medicine Robin Warren and Barry Marshall led to a revolution in physiopathology and consequently in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease. Subsequently, H. pylori has also been linked to non-gastrointestinal diseases, such as autoimmune thrombocytopenia, acne rosacea, and Raynaud's syndrome. In addition, several studies have shown an association with cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis. Our narrative review aims to investigate the connection between H. pylori infection, gut microbiota, and extra-gastric diseases, with a particular emphasis on atherosclerosis. We conducted an extensive search on PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus, using the keywords "H. pylori", "dysbiosis", "microbiota", "atherosclerosis", "cardiovascular disease" in the last ten years. Atherosclerosis is a complex condition in which the arteries thicken or harden due to plaque deposits in the inner lining of an artery and is associated with several cardiovascular diseases. Recent research has highlighted the role of the microbiota in the pathogenesis of this group of diseases. H. pylori is able to both directly influence the onset of atherosclerosis and negatively modulate the microbiota. H. pylori is an important factor in promoting atherosclerosis. Progress is being made in understanding the underlying mechanisms, which could open the way to interesting new therapeutic perspectives.

Interactions between Helicobacter pylori infection and host metabolic homeostasis: A comprehensive review

The microbiota actively and extensively participates in the regulation of human metabolism, playing a crucial role in the development of metabolic diseases. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), when colonizing gastric epithelial cells, not only induces local tissue inflammation or malignant transformation but also leads to systemic and partial changes in host metabolism. These shifts can be mediated through direct contact, toxic components, or indirect immune responses. Consequently, they influence various molecular metabolic events that impact nutritional status and iron absorption in the host. Unraveling the intricate and diverse molecular interaction links between H. pylori and human metabolism modulation is essential for understanding pathogenesis mechanisms and developing targeted treatments for related diseases. However, significant challenges persist in comprehensively understanding the complex association networks among H. pylori itself, the infected host's status, the host microbiome, and the immune response. Previous metabolomics research has indicated that H. pylori infection and eradication may selectively shape the metabolite and microbial profiles of gastric lesions. Yet, it remains largely unknown how these diverse metabolic pathways, including isovaleric acid, cholesterol, fatty acids, and phospholipids, specifically modulate gastric carcinogenesis or affect the host's serum metabolism, consequently leading to the development of metabolic-associated diseases. The direct contribution of H. pylori to metabolisms still lacks conclusive evidence. In this review, we summarize recent advances in clinical evidence highlighting associations between chronic H. pylori infection and metabolic diseases, as well as its potential molecular regulatory patterns.

Helicobacter pylori and cardiovascular risk: Only a dead Helicobacter is a good Helicobacter?

OBJECTIVES

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and cardiovascular (CV) disease share common symptoms and underlie many general medical complaints. Preliminary studies suggest an association between H. pylori positivity and CV risk, and gastroenterological guidelines recommend eradication of H. pylori in patients with manifest atherosclerosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the reciprocal association of H. pylori positivity and CV risk for their independence of shared risk factors.

METHODS

We included 3284 asymptomatic participants of a colorectal cancer screening cohort who were offered and underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. We calculated the 10-year risk for a CV event using the novel SCORE2 for each patient. We evaluated the association between H. pylori positivity and CV risk assessed by SCORE2 using both multilevel logistic and linear regression. We adjusted for age, sex and the concomitant diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. Lastly, we assessed the association between H. pylori status and mortality using proportional hazard Cox regression.

RESULTS

In total, 2659 patients were H. pylori negative and 625 H. pylori positive. Helicobacter pylori positivity was associated with SCORE2 and remained so (r = .33; 95% CI 0.09-0.57; p = .006) after adjustment for age, sex, and the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. Also, SCORE2 was associated with higher odds for H. pylori positivity (aOR 1.03 95% CI 1.01-1.05; p = .02) even after multivariable adjustment. Helicobacter pylori positivity was associated with neither CV (HR 0.60 95% CI 0.14-2.63; p = .50) nor all-cause (HR 1.20 95% CI 0.77-1.87; p = .43) mortality during a median follow-up of 9 years.

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, H. pylori positivity and CV risk were independently associated. This did not translate into a dissimilar CV mortality between H. pylori positive and H. pylori negative patients. However, the overwhelming majority of our patients underwent H. pylori eradication. We, therefore, think that H. pylori eradication is at least safe from a cardiovascular perspective and warranted from gastrointestinal standpoint.

Helicobacter Pylori Infection Induces Intestinal Dysbiosis That Could Be Related to the Onset of Atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular diseases represent one of the first causes of death around the world, and atherosclerosis is one of the first steps in the development of them. Although these problems occur mainly in elderly, the incidence in younger people is being reported, and an undetermined portion of patients without the classic risk factors develop subclinical atherosclerosis at earlier stages of life. Recently, both the H. pylori infection and the intestinal microbiota have been linked to atherosclerosis. The mechanisms behind those associations are poorly understood, but some of the proposed explanations are (a) the effect of the chronic systemic inflammation induced by H. pylori, (b) a direct action over the endothelial cells by the cytotoxin associated gene A protein, and (c) alterations of the lipid metabolism and endothelial dysfunction induced by H. pylori infection. Regarding the microbiota, several studies show that induction of atherosclerosis is related to high levels of Trimethylamine N-oxide. In this review, we present the information published about the effects of H. pylori over the intestinal microbiota and their relationship with atherosclerosis and propose a hypothesis to explain the nature of these associations. If H. pylori contributes to atherosclerosis, then interventions for eradication and restoration of the gut microbiota at early stages could represent a way to prevent disease progression.

Probiotics Bring New Hope for Atherosclerosis Prevention and Treatment

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of human mortality and morbidity worldwide. Atherosclerosis (AS) is the underlying pathological responsible in most acute and severe cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infarction and stroke. However, current drugs applied to the treatment of AS are not clinically effective, and there is a large residual risk of cardiovascular disease and multiple side effects. Increasing evidence supports a close relationship between microorganisms and the incidence of AS. Recent data have shown that probiotics can improve multiple key factors involved in the development and progression of AS, including cholesterol metabolism imbalance, endothelial dysfunction, proinflammatory factor production, macrophage polarization, intestinal flora disturbance, and infection with pathogenic microorganisms, and therefore probiotics have attracted great interest as a novel potential “medicine”. This review is aimed at summarizing the effects of probiotics on various influencing factors, and providing valuable insights in the search for early prevention and potential therapeutic strategies for AS.

Clinical Observation of Helicobacter pylori Infection and Risk Factors and Cytotoxin-Associated Protein A in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease

The aim was to analyze the infection, influencing factors, and clinical manifestations of Helicobacter pylori infection, coronary heart disease, and cytotoxin-associated protein A infection, so as to provide reference for the improvement of clinical diagnosis and treatment level of in-depth treatment. This paper presents a clinical observation method based on Helicobacter pylori infection, risk factors, and cytotoxin-associated protein A in patients with coronary heart disease. Methods. 237 patients with CHD diagnosed and tested by 14C breath test were selected from inpatients of cardiovascular diseases in a hospital for retrospective analysis. The clinical data, serum deepening indicators, Hcy, and other factors were analyzed through general condition investigation, previous history investigation, and physical examination. The patients were observed by the SPSS22.0 statistical data processing method. The results showed that among the respondents, 175 cases were HP-positive, the infection rate was 73.8%, 77 patients with stable angina pectoris were 64.9%, and 160 patients with acute coronary heart disease were 78.1%. The difference between the groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Helicobacter pylori cytotoxic-associated protein A can increase the risk of gastric cancer, and Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment is more conducive to reduce the incidence of gastric cancer and ensure the safety of patients.

Antibodies towards TVLLPVIFF Amino Acid Sequence of TNF Receptor Induced by Helicobacter pylori in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease

Background: Molecular mimicry between Helicobacter pylori (Hp) and the host components resulting in induction of cross-reacting antibodies has been suggested as accessory mechanism in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). A potential target for antibodies induced during Hp infection by the components of these bacteria might be amino acid sequence TVLLPVIFF (P1) of tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR), which is exposed on vascular endothelium and immunocompetent cells, driving inflammation. Aim: To examine whether anti-P1 IgG are induced during Hp infection in CHD patients. Methods: Sera from CHD patients infected with Hp (54) vs. sera of uninfected healthy donors (22) were tested by the ELISA for anti-H. pylori antibodies, anti-P1 IgG, and for antibodies towards control sequence IAKEGFEKIS (P2). Sera of Caviae porcellus infected experimentally with Hp (30) or uninfected (10) were included into this study. The same serum samples, which were positive for anti-P1 IgG, were adsorbed with Hp and then subjected to the ELISA. The biological activity of anti-P1 IgG was assessed in complement (C1q) binding assay. Results: Sera of 43 CHD patients seropositive for anti-Hp IgG contained anti-P1 IgG binding C1q. Additionally, 10 serum samples of animals seropositive for anti-Hp IgG contained anti-P1 IgG. Anti-P1 IgG in tested sera were neutralized by their adsorption with Hp. Conclusion: In CHD patients infected with Hp, antibodies cross-reacting with TNFR common sequence are produced. Further studies are necessary to define immunogenic Hp determinants and to confirm possible cellular effects of cross-reacting antibodies.