Sheri P. Cole

Characterization of monospecies biofilm formation by Helicobacter pylori.

As all bacteria studied to date, the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori has an alternate lifestyle as a biofilm. H. pylori forms biofilms on glass surfaces at the air-liquid interface in stationary or shaking batch cultures. By light microscopy, we have observed attachment of individual, spiral H. pylori to glass surfaces, followed by division to form microcolonies, merging of individual microcolonies, and growth in the third dimension. Scanning electron micrographs showed H. pylori arranged in a matrix on the glass with channels for nutrient flow, typical of other bacterial biofilms. To understand the importance of biofilms to the H. pylori life cycle, we tested the effect of mucin on biofilm formation. Our results showed that 10% mucin greatly increased the number of planktonic H. pylori while not affecting biofilm bacteria, resulting in a decline in percent adherence to the glass. This suggests that in the mucus-rich stomach, H. pylori planktonic growth is favored over biofilm formation. We also investigated the effect of specific mutations in several genes, including the quorum-sensing gene, luxS, and the cagE type IV secretion gene. Both of these mutants were found to form biofilms approximately twofold more efficiently than the wild type in both assays. These results indicate the relative importance of these genes to the production of biofilms by H. pylori and the selective enhancement of planktonic growth in the presence of gastric mucin.

Regulation of Human β-Defensins by Gastric Epithelial Cells in Response to Infection with Helicobacter pylori or Stimulation with Interleukin-1

ABSTRACT Gastric epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo are shown to constitutively express the peptide antibiotic human β-defensin type 1 (hBD-1). In contrast, hBD-2 expression is regulated in gastric epithelial cells and increases in response to infection withHelicobacter pylori or stimulation with the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1. These data suggest that hBD-2 is a component of the regulated host gastric epithelial cell response to H. pylori infection and proinflammatory mediators.

Helicobacter pylori Preferentially Induces Interleukin 12 (IL-12) Rather than IL-6 or IL-10 in Human Dendritic Cells

ABSTRACT Dendritic cells are potent antigen-presenting cells that are present in the gastrointestinal tract and are required for the induction of a Th1 T-cell acquired immune response. Since infection with the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori elicits a Th1 cell response, the interaction of these organisms with dendritic cells should reflect the Th1 bias. We incubated H. pylori with cultured human dendritic cells and measured the cytokine induction profile, comparing the response to that induced by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. We found that H. pylori induced little interleukin 6 (IL-6) and essentially no IL-10 in contrast to S. enterica. However, H. pylori induced levels of IL-12 that were 30% of those induced by S. enterica, indicating a Th1 response. An isogenic cagE mutant of H. pylori lost about 50% of its IL-12-inducing ability, suggesting a role for the cag type IV secretion system in the stimulation of dendritic cells.

Deficiencies of myeloid differentiation factor 88, Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), or TLR4 produce specific defects in macrophage cytokine secretion induced by Helicobacter pylori.

ABSTRACT Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative microaerophilic bacterium that colonizes the gastric mucosa, leading to disease conditions ranging from gastritis to cancer. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a central role in innate immunity by their recognition of conserved molecular patterns on bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Upon recognition of microbial components, these TLRs associate with several adaptor molecules, including myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88). To investigate the contribution of the innate immune system to H. pylori infection, bone marrow-derived macrophages from mice deficient in TLR2, TLR4, TLR9, and MyD88 were infected with H. pylori SS1 and SD4 for 24 or 48 h. We demonstrate that MyD88 was essential for H. pylori induction of all cytokines investigated except alpha interferon (IFN-α). The secretion of IFN-α was substantially increased from cells deficient in MyD88. H. pylori induced interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-10 through TLR4/MyD88 signaling. In addition, H. pylori induced less IL-6 and IL-1β in TLR2-deleted macrophages, suggesting that the MyD88 pathway activated by TLR2 stimulation is responsible for H. pylori induction of the host proinflammatory response (IL-6 and IL-1β). These observations are important in light of a recent report on IL-6 and IL-1β playing a role in the development of H. pylori-related gastric cancer. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that H. pylori activates TLR2 and TLR4, leading to the secretion of distinct cytokines by macrophages.

Role of Gamma Interferon in Helicobacter pylori Induction of Inflammatory Mediators during Murine Infection

ABSTRACT Gamma interferon (IFN-γ) has been proposed to play an important role in Helicobacter-related gastritis. Using the IFN-γ gene knockout (IFN-γ−/−) mouse model and a murine gastric epithelial cell line, GSM06, we demonstrated that Helicobacter pylori maximally induced macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA only in wild-type mice. MIP-2 and iNOS mRNA were also induced by H. pylori in GSM06 cells. Induction of cyclooxygenase 2 mRNA through IFN-γ was demonstrated in GSM06 cells. These data indicate that IFN-γ mediates the induction of MIP-2 and iNOS mRNA expression by H. pylori in mice.

High-Fat, High-Cholesterol Diet Increases the Incidence of Gastritis in LDL Receptor–Negative Mice

Transgenic and knockout mice are widely used as models for atherogenesis studies. While developing a Helicobacter infection model in LDL receptor–negative (LDLR−/−) mice, we noticed that mice fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet often contracted gastritis independent of infection. To further investigate this finding, we studied 27 male and 18 female LDLR−/− mice fed high-fat, 1% or 1.25% cholesterol diets for 3 to 4 months. The extent of atherosclerosis was morphometrically analyzed in the whole aorta, and the degree of gastric inflammation was scored histologically in hematoxylin-eosin–stained stomach sections. The autoantibody titers to epitopes of oxidized LDL were also measured. Mice fed high-fat, high-cholesterol diets had a significantly higher incidence of gastritis than mice fed normal chow, 62% versus 5%, respectively (P <0.0001). This effect was specific for LDLR−/− mice, because no difference in gastritis was found in wild-type mice fed either diet. Animals with gastritis showed slightly more atherosclerosis than animals without gastritis: 16.3±6.4% versus 12.8±3.4% in males and 9.4±3.5% versus 6.5±3.3% in females. Cholesterol-fed mice also had significantly higher IgG autoantibody titers against modified LDL than normal chow–fed animals, but no difference was seen between the gastritis and nongastritis groups. We conclude that the standard high-fat, high-cholesterol diet commonly used in many murine models to induce atherosclerosis increased the incidence of gastritis significantly in LDLR−/− mice.

Interactions between Inducible Nitric Oxide and Other Inflammatory Mediators during Helicobacter pylori Infection

Background.  Recent studies in both humans and animal models strongly suggest the contribution of the host immune response to Helicobacter pylori‐related disease. Inducible nitric oxide synthase has been shown to be up‐regulated in the gastric epithelium during H. pylori gastritis, suggesting a role in inflammation.