
A new strain of Helicobacter pylori opens new avenues for the study of gastric cancer
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- cancer
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- Helicobacter Pylori
- infection
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- Oriol Capell
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- The infection by Helicobacter pylori - which is estimated to affect more than half of the world's population - can cause gastritis, ulcers, inflammation of the stomach mucosa and contribute to the development of gastric cancer
- This variant of the bacterium has been shown to be able to induce gastric cancer in small rodents just two months after infection
The Community and Healthcare-Related Infections research group has participated in international research that could significantly advance the understanding of gastric cancer. The study, in collaboration with prominent research groups in the United States, has allowed identify a new strain of Helicobacter pylori which can be key to deepening the mechanisms that trigger this type of cancer. In addition, it will facilitate the development of new, more personalized and effective treatment and prevention strategies.
Gastric cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in the world. Most cases are related to the infection by Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that colonizes the mucosa of the stomach and that over time can cause gastritis, ulcers and contribute to the development of gastric cancer. This bacterium is present in more than half of the world's population, especially in regions with poorer health conditions, but the fact that its infection usually does not present symptoms makes it difficult to diagnose until considerable damage has already been done in the stomach

Helicobacter Pylori bacteria in the stomach
Not all variants ofHelicobacter pylori have the same impact on the body. Some strains of this bacterium are more aggressive than othersand have a higher capacity to produce chronic inflammation and increase the risk of gastric cancer.
One of the most aggressive variants of the bacterium is the USU101 strain. This strain was originally isolated from a patient with gastric adenocarcinoma, the most common type of stomach cancer. When this bacterium was introduced into Mongolian gerbils, a type of rodent with gastric conditions similar to humans, a rapid progression of the disease was observed. The gerbils developed gastric cancer just two months after being infected.
"To understand which factors ofHelicobacter pyloriare more important for the development of the disease, we began by examining two key components of the bacterium: the CagA and VacA toxins. "We created versions of the bacteria without these toxins, and the results revealed that the absence of CagA significantly reduces inflammation and disease progression, while the lack of VacA prevents effective colonization of the gastric mucosa," explains Òscar Quijada, researcher of the study and co-lead of the Community and Healthcare-Related Infections research group.
The results of this study, published in the journal Microbiology Spectrum of the American Society for Microbiology, not only open the door to future research, but also highlight the importance of continuing to investigate genetic and biological characteristics byHelicobacter pylori. According to Òscar Quijada, "the next steps will include more detailed studies to understand how gastric cancer induced by this bacterium develops and to design effective strategies to prevent infection and stop the progression of the disease".
Study reference
Whitmire JM, Windham IH, Makobongo MO, Westland MD, Tran SC, Piñol J, Hui Y, Raheem Alkarkoushi R, Pich OQ, McGee DJ, Piazuelo MB, Melton-Celsa A, Testerman TL, Cover TL, Merrell DS.0. A unique Helicobacter pylori strain to study gastric cancer development. Microbiol Spectr0:e02163-24.https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02163-24
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