Background and aim: Interactions between released proteins by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and the cells of gastric epithelium to which it adheres may contribute to gastric inflammation and epithelial damage. The present study was performed to evaluate the gene expression of AGS gastric cancer cells stimulated with released proteins by H. pylori.
Methods: Gene expression of AGS cells to the stimulation by H. pylori-released proteins (G27 strain) were monitored using oligonucleotide microarrays.
Results: Eighty-eight genes (0.88%) and eight genes (0.08%) were up- or downregulated, respectively, by treating AGS cells with H. pylori-released proteins but not by H. pylori adhesion after 12 h of coculture. Out of the selected 40 up- and five downregulated genes, 29 upregulated genes classified as general RNA polymerase II transcription factor activity (GTF2B, PPARGC1A), SH3/SH2 adaptor activity (CRKL), transferase activity (ACLY, CRKL, PIGC, PLK4), and oxidoreductase activity (IDH1) were confirmed to be upregulated by released proteins and not by H. pylori adhesion by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. When the concentrated H. pylori-cultured supernatant prepared by our protocol was treated by boiling, the upregulations of 26 of these 29 genes (89.7%) except for CD160, ZNF268, and PSAT1 disappeared. This confirmed that most of these upregulations were caused by released proteins.
Conclusion: Host genes involving transcription, signaling and stress are significantly modulated by the proteins released by H. pylori. This might strengthen the gastroduodenal pathogenesis induced by H. pylori.