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Co-expression in Helicobacter pylori of cagA and non-opsonic neutrophil activation enhances the association with peptic ulcer disease
  1. D Danielsson1,
  2. S M Farmery3,
  3. B Blomberg2,
  4. S Perry3,
  5. H Rautelin4,
  6. J E Crabtree3
  1. 1Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Örebro Medical Centre Hospital, Örebro, Sweden
  2. 2Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Örebro Medical Centre Hospital
  3. 3Molecular Medicine Unit, Level 7 Clinical Sciences Building, St James's University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK
  4. 4Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
  1. Dr Crabtree email: MSJJC{at}stjames.leeds.ac.uk

Abstract

Aims—To investigate the association of cagA positivity and non-opsonic neutrophil activation capacity in wild-type Helicobacter pylori strains with peptic ulcer disease or chronic gastritis only.

MethodsHelicobacter pylori were isolated from antral biopsies of 53 consecutive patients with chronic antral gastritis, of whom 24 had peptic ulcer disease endoscopically. The presence of cagA, a marker for the cag pathogenicity island, was determined by polymerase chain reaction with specific oligonucleotide primers, and non-opsonic neutrophil activation capacity by luminol enhanced chemiluminescence.

Results—The cagA gene was present in 39 of 53 (73.6%) strains, 20 of which (83.3%) were from the 24 patients with peptic ulcer disease and 19 (65.5%) from the 29 patients with chronic gastritis only. Non-opsonic neutrophil activation was found in 29 (54.7%) strains, 16 of which (66.7%) were from patients with peptic ulcer disease, and 13 (44.8%) from those with chronic gastritis. Non-opsonic neutrophil activation was found more frequently in cagA+ than cagA strains (59% v 42.9%). Whereas four of the 14 cagA strains and eight of the 24 non-opsonic neutrophil activation negative strains were from patients with peptic ulcer disease, only two of 24 (8.3%) peptic ulcer disease strains expressed neither cagA nor non-opsonic neutrophil activation. The cagA gene and non-opsonic neutrophil activation capacity were co-expressed in 14 of 24 (58.3%) strains from patients with peptic ulcer disease, and in nine of 29 (31%) strains from individuals with chronic gastritis.

Conclusions—Positivity for cagA and non-opsonic neutrophil activation occur independently in wild-type H pylori strains. However, co-expression of the two markers enhanced the prediction of peptic ulcer disease.

  • Helicobacter pylori
  • neutrophil
  • cagA

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