BACKGROUND: It has been reported that infection with vacuolating cytotoxin positive Helicobacter pylori strains is associated with gastroduodenal disease in Western countries. AIMS: To evaluate the prevalence of cytotoxin producing strains among patients with H pylori infection in relation to gastrointestinal diseases in Japan. PATIENTS: Ninety seven patients undergoing endoscopy. METHODS: A Western blot assay was conducted to detect serum antibodies against the cytotoxin using recombinant cytotoxin (VacA protein) as an antigen. To obtain a purified recombinant cytotoxin, the vacA gene (2233 nucleotides) was cloned into an expression vector to produce the protein (744 amino acids), which was expressed in Escherichia coli. RESULTS: Serum IgG antibodies to the cytotoxin were present in 85%, 95%, 95%, and 100% of infected patients with gastric ulcer (n = 26), duodenal ulcer (n = 21), chronic gastritis (n = 19), and endoscopically normal mucosa (n = 14), respectively. CONCLUSION: The western blot method using recombinant VacA protein is simple and useful for detecting antibody to vacuolating cytotoxin. This method showed antibodies against cytotoxin were highly prevalent, even in subjects with endoscopically normal mucosa in Japan, indicating that the cytotoxin may not be an independent cause of gastrointestinal diseases induced by H pylori infection.
BACKGROUND: It has been reported that infection with vacuolating cytotoxin positive Helicobacter pylori strains is associated with gastroduodenal disease in Western countries. AIMS: To evaluate the prevalence of cytotoxin producing strains among patients with H pylori infection in relation to gastrointestinal diseases in Japan. PATIENTS: Ninety seven patients undergoing endoscopy. METHODS: A Western blot assay was conducted to detect serum antibodies against the cytotoxin using recombinant cytotoxin (VacA protein) as an antigen. To obtain a purified recombinant cytotoxin, the vacA gene (2233 nucleotides) was cloned into an expression vector to produce the protein (744 amino acids), which was expressed in Escherichia coli. RESULTS: Serum IgG antibodies to the cytotoxin were present in 85%, 95%, 95%, and 100% of infectedpatients with gastric ulcer (n = 26), duodenal ulcer (n = 21), chronic gastritis (n = 19), and endoscopically normal mucosa (n = 14), respectively. CONCLUSION: The western blot method using recombinant VacA protein is simple and useful for detecting antibody to vacuolating cytotoxin. This method showed antibodies against cytotoxin were highly prevalent, even in subjects with endoscopically normal mucosa in Japan, indicating that the cytotoxin may not be an independent cause of gastrointestinal diseases induced by H pylori infection.
Authors: R Manetti; P Massari; D Burroni; M de Bernard; A Marchini; R Olivieri; E Papini; C Montecucco; R Rappuoli; J L Telford Journal: Infect Immun Date: 1995-11 Impact factor: 3.441
Authors: P Ghiara; M Marchetti; M J Blaser; M K Tummuru; T L Cover; E D Segal; L S Tompkins; R Rappuoli Journal: Infect Immun Date: 1995-10 Impact factor: 3.441
Authors: S Levenstein; C Prantera; V Varvo; M L Scribano; E Berto; S Spinella; G Lanari Journal: J Clin Gastroenterol Date: 1995-09 Impact factor: 3.062
Authors: O Kawamata; H Yoshida; K Hirota; A Yoshida; R Kawaguchi; Y Shiratori; M Omata Journal: Biochem Biophys Res Commun Date: 1996-02-06 Impact factor: 3.575
Authors: J C Atherton; P M Sharp; T L Cover; G Gonzalez-Valencia; R M Peek; S A Thompson; C J Hawkey; M J Blaser Journal: Curr Microbiol Date: 1999-10 Impact factor: 2.188
Authors: D Shirasaka; N Aoyama; K Satonaka; K Shirakawa; H Yoshida; T Sakai; T Ikemura; Y Shinoda; M Sakashita; M Miyamoto; K Yahiro; A Wada; H Kurazono; T Hirayama; M Kasuga Journal: Dig Dis Sci Date: 2000-04 Impact factor: 3.199
Authors: A S Day; N L Jones; Z Policova; H A Jennings; E K Yau; P Shannon; A W Neumann; P M Sherman Journal: Dig Dis Sci Date: 2001-09 Impact factor: 3.199
Authors: Y Yamaji; T Mitsushima; H Ikuma; M Okamoto; H Yoshida; T Kawabe; Y Shiratori; K Saito; K Yokouchi; M Omata Journal: Gut Date: 2001-09 Impact factor: 23.059