Virulence factors of Helicobacter pylori affecting its gastric colonization in Mongolian gerbils.

Helicobacter pylori is recognized to possess a number of virulence factors. We investigated the role of motility, vacuolating cytotoxin, and urease in gastric colonization by H. pylori. Mongolian gerbils (SPF, 7 weeks old) were challenged orally with a single administration of a 24-h culture broth of H. pylori and then were killed 6 and 26 weeks after challenge. Gastric colonization, severe gastritis, ulceration, and high levels of serum anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin G were observed in the gerbils challenged with strains motile in the semisolid medium (ATCC43504, HPY-127, HPY-204), but not in gerbils challenged with strains nonmotile in the medium (ATCC49503, HPY-205, HPY-206). Only strains ATCC43504, ATCC49503, HPY-204, and HPY-206 had vacuolating cytotoxin activity against HeLa and Vero cells. Thus, motile strains were able to colonize regardless of their vacuolating cytotoxin activities, and vacuolating cytotoxin was not associated with epithelial damage in the gastric mucosa. Furthermore, the phenotypic variants of strains with the ability to colonize that lacked either motility or urease activity lost their ability to colonize. In conclusion, motility and urease activity, but not vacuolating cytotoxin activity, are essential for gastric colonization by H. pylori in Mongolian gerbils.