Helicobacter pylori CagA--a potential bacterial oncoprotein that functionally mimics the mammalian Gab family of adaptor proteins.

Helicobacter pylori virulence factor CagA is injected into gastric epithelial cells and undergoes tyrosine phosphorylation. Similar to mammalian Gab protein, tyrosine-phosphorylated CagA recruits and activates SHP-2 phosphatase at the plasma membrane, thereby inducing a growth factor-like effect. CagA-SHP-2 interaction may play an important role in bacterial pathogenesis, leading to gastric carcinoma.