LabMedica

Download Mobile App
Recent News Expo Clinical Chem. Molecular Diagnostics Hematology Immunology Microbiology Pathology Technology Industry Focus

Suppression of DNA Repair by H. pylori Paves the Way for Development of Gastric Cancer

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 28 Jun 2015
Print article
Image: The stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori changes the activity of genes in gastric cells (Photo courtesy of Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology).
Image: The stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori changes the activity of genes in gastric cells (Photo courtesy of Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology).
A team of molecular microbiologists has established what they believe to be the definitive link between Helicobacter pylori infection and the development of gastric cancer.

Infection with the human pathogen H. pylori is a major risk factor for gastric cancer. However, since the bacterium exerts multiple genotoxic effects, investigators at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology (Berlin, Germany) chose to examine how DNA damage accumulated in gastric cells following H. pylori infection.

The investigators utilized a new technique for cultivating cultures of normal human stomach tissue. This material replaced the use of cancer cell lines whose mutated genomes obscured early changes induced by H. pylori.

Results published in the June 11, 2015, online edition of the journal Cell Reports revealed that the activity of several sub-telomeric genes responsible for recognizing and repairing damaged DNA was suppressed during the course of the infection. Infection impaired several host cell DNA repair factors, the extent of which depended on a functional H. pylori cag pathogenicity island (cagPAI). This led to accumulation of a unique DNA damage pattern, preferentially in transcribed regions and proximal to telomeres, in both gastric cell lines and primary gastric epithelial cells. The observed pattern correlated with focal amplifications in adenocarcinomas of the stomach and partly overlapped with known cancer genes.

They authors described their interpretation of the impact of H. pylori infection on host cell DNA by saying, "We thus demonstrate an impact of a bacterial infection directed toward specific host genomic regions and describe underlying characteristics that make such regions more likely to acquire heritable changes during infection, which could contribute to cellular transformation."

Related Links:

Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology


Platinum Member
COVID-19 Rapid Test
OSOM COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test
Magnetic Bead Separation Modules
MAG and HEATMAG
Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Test
GPP-100 Anti-CCP Kit
Gold Member
Systemic Autoimmune Testing Assay
BioPlex 2200 ANA Screen with MDSS

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: The 3D printed miniature ionizer is a key component of a mass spectrometer (Photo courtesy of MIT)

3D Printed Point-Of-Care Mass Spectrometer Outperforms State-Of-The-Art Models

Mass spectrometry is a precise technique for identifying the chemical components of a sample and has significant potential for monitoring chronic illness health states, such as measuring hormone levels... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The CAPILLARYS 3 DBS devices have received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance (Photo courtesy of Sebia)

Next Generation Instrument Screens for Hemoglobin Disorders in Newborns

Hemoglobinopathies, the most widespread inherited conditions globally, affect about 7% of the population as carriers, with 2.7% of newborns being born with these conditions. The spectrum of clinical manifestations... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The AI predictive model identifies the most potent cancer killing immune cells for use in immunotherapies (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

AI Predicts Tumor-Killing Cells with High Accuracy

Cellular immunotherapy involves extracting immune cells from a patient's tumor, potentially enhancing their cancer-fighting capabilities through engineering, and then expanding and reintroducing them into the body.... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: The T-SPOT.TB test is now paired with the Auto-Pure 2400 liquid handling platform for accurate TB testing (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Integrated Solution Ushers New Era of Automated Tuberculosis Testing

Tuberculosis (TB) is responsible for 1.3 million deaths every year, positioning it as one of the top killers globally due to a single infectious agent. In 2022, around 10.6 million people were diagnosed... Read more