Inhibitory Effects of Menadione on Helicobacter pylori Growth and Helicobacter pylori-Induced Inflammation via NF-κB Inhibition

L- lactate inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation of microglia in the hippocampus

Objective: Depression is a common psychological and physiological disease in the world, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients and families. Exercise is an economic and noninvasive antidepressant measure, which has been widely recognized and applied in daily life and clinical practice, and the related mechanism research has also been paid attention to. In recent years, a new research report pointed out that peripheral administration of L-lactate can reverse depression-like behavior in mice, which suggesting that the lactic acid produced during exercise may be one of the factors leading to antidepressant effect, but the detailed mechanism is not clear. Inflammation is the pathogenic factor of many diseases and a large number of experiments have proved that inflammation is also an important pathogenic factor leading to depression. The purpose of our experiment is to explore whether lactic acid has anti-inflammatory and antidepressant effects.Methods: Based on the LPS induced inflammatory model, animal behavior observation, protein extraction, Western blotting, immunofluorescence and other techniques were used in this experiment.Results: Lactic acid could inhibit the change of some important inflammatory factors, such as TNF-αIL-1βphospho-NF-κB (p-NF-κB) and NLRP3 inflammasome complex (NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1) induced by LPS.Conclusion: Our current research suggested that lactic acid maybe exert antiinflammatory effect by inhibiting inflammatory factors.

Comprehensive quality evaluation of fermented-steaming Fructus Aurantii based on chemical composition, flavor characteristics, and intestinal microbial community

Fructus Aurantii (FA) is an edible and medicinal functional food used worldwide that enhances digestion. Since raw FA (RFA) possesses certain side effects for some patients, processed FA (PFA) is commonly used in clinical practice. This study aimed to establish an objective and comprehensive quality evaluation of the PFA that employed the technique of steaming and fermentation. Combined with the volatile and non-volatile components, as well as the regulation of gut microbiota, the differentiation between RFA and PFA was analyzed. The results showed that the PFA considerably reduced the contents of flavonoid glycosides while increasing hesperidin-7-O-glucoside and flavonoid aglycones. The electronic nose and GC-MS (Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) effectively detected the variation in flavor between RFA and PFA. Correlation analysis revealed that eight volatile components (relative odor activity value [ROAV] ≥ 0.1) played a key role in inducing odor modifications. The original floral and woody notes were subdued due to decreased levels of linalool, sabinene, α-terpineol, and terpinen-4-ol. After processing, more delightful flavors such as lemon and fruity aromas were acquired. Furthermore, gut microbiota analysis indicated a significant increase in beneficial microbial taxa. Particularly, Lactobacillus, Akkermansia, and Blautia exhibited higher abundance following PFA treatment. Conversely, a lower presence of pathogenic bacteria, including Proteobacteria, Flexispira, and Clostridium. This strategy contributes to a comprehensive analysis technique for the quality assessment of FA, providing scientific justifications for processing FA into high-value products with enhanced health benefits. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study provided an efficient approach to Fructus Aurantii quality evaluation. The methods of fermentation and steaming showed improved quality and safety.

Comparative Analysis of T4SS Molecular Architectures

The recently published high-resolution R388 T4SS structure provides exciting new details about the complete complex of T4SS, including the components making up the stalk and arches, numerous symmetry mismatches between regions of the complex, and an intriguing interpretation of the closed stalk and radial symmetry of the inner membrane complex, which is related to pilus biogenesis assembly. However, there are a few unidentified densities in the electron microscopy map and portions of the identified component sequences for which the structure is not yet known. It is also unclear how well this minimized DNA-transporting T4SS predicts the structure of other T4SSs, such as expanded systems and those that transport proteins rather than DNA. In this review, we evaluate what can be inferred from the recent high-resolution structure of the R388 T4SS with respect to the Cag and Dot/Icm systems. These systems were selected because, given what is currently known about these systems, we expect them to present most structural differences compared to the R388 T4SS structure. Furthermore, we discuss bacterial physiology and diversity, the T4SS structures and their variations between different bacterial species. These insights may prove beneficial for researchers who elucidate the structure and functions of T4SS in different bacterial species.

Helicobacter pylori-activated fibroblasts as a silent partner in gastric cancer development

The discovery of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection of gastric mucosa leading to active chronic gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcers, and MALT lymphoma laid the groundwork for understanding of the general relationship between chronic infection, inflammation, and cancer. Nevertheless, this sequence of events is still far from full understanding with new players and mediators being constantly identified. Originally, the Hp virulence factors affecting mainly gastric epithelium were proposed to contribute considerably to gastric inflammation, ulceration, and cancer. Furthermore, it has been shown that Hp possesses the ability to penetrate the mucus layer and directly interact with stroma components including fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. These cells, which are the source of biophysical and biochemical signals providing the proper balance between cell proliferation and differentiation within gastric epithelial stem cell compartment, when exposed to Hp, can convert into cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) phenotype. The crosstalk between fibroblasts and myofibroblasts with gastric epithelial cells including stem/progenitor cell niche involves several pathways mediated by non-coding RNAs, Wnt, BMP, TGF-β, and Notch signaling ligands. The current review concentrates on the consequences of Hp-induced increase in gastric fibroblast and myofibroblast number, and their activation towards CAFs with the emphasis to the altered communication between mesenchymal and epithelial cell compartment, which may lead to inflammation, epithelial stem cell overproliferation, disturbed differentiation, and gradual gastric cancer development. Thus, Hp-activated fibroblasts may constitute the target for anti-cancer treatment and, importantly, for the pharmacotherapies diminishing their activation particularly at the early stages of Hp infection.

Effects of oxidative stress regulation in inflammation-associated gastric cancer progression treated using traditional Chinese medicines: A review

Gastric cancer (GC) is a global public health concern that poses a serious threat to human health owing to its high morbidity and mortality rates. Due to the lack of specificity of symptoms, patients with GC tend to be diagnosed at an advanced stage with poor prognosis. Therefore, the development of new treatment methods is particularly urgent. Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), a precancerous GC lesion, plays a key role in its occurrence and development. Oxidative stress has been identified as an important factor driving the development and progression of the pathological processes of CAG and GC. Therefore, regulating oxidative stress pathways can not only intervene in CAG development but also prevent the occurrence and metastasis of GC and improve the prognosis of GC patients. In this study, PubMed, CNKI, and Web of Science were used to search for a large number of relevant studies. The review results suggested that the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and TCM prescriptions could target and improve inflammation, pathological status, metastasis, and invasion of tumor cells, providing a potential new supplement for the treatment of CAG and GC.

Menadione Contribution to the In Vitro Radical Scavenging Potential of Phytochemicals Naringenin and Lignin

Vitamin K3 (menadione), classified as a pro-vitamin, is a synthetic form of the fat-soluble family of vitamin K compounds. The combination of the vitamin with other molecules sharing structural and/or functional similarities, such as naturally occurring polyphenols, vitamins, or biopolymers, could potentiate mutual improvement of their antioxidant activity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role and contribution of vitamin K3 to the in vitro radical scavenging capacity of double and triple combinations with the phytochemicals naringenin and lignin, as well as assess possible intermolecular interactions between the bioactive compounds. Comparative analyses of the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity of the pure substances vitamin K3, naringenin, and lignin; the two-component systems lignin/vitamin K3 and vitamin K3/naringenin; and the triple combination vitamin K3/flavonoid/lignin were carried out. The experimental results demonstrated increased DPPH and ABTS activities of the vitamin in combination with lignin compared to those of the two pure substances, i.e., a synergistic effect was observed. The registered significant increases in the radical scavenging activity of the triple combination determined via both methods are indicative of a remarkable potentiation effect, i.e., higher antioxidant potential exceeding the additive activity of the three pure substances.

Dishevelled segment polarity protein 2 promotes gastric cancer progression through Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Dishevelled family proteins (DVL1-3), key scaffold proteins, act on canonical and non-canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. DVL has been implicated in various tumor progression. However, its role and underlying mechanisms in gastric cancer (GC) remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of DVL in GC development using cell lines and 209 GC specimens. We analyzed three orthologs of DVL in GC tissues and paired adjacent non-tumor tissues, and only DVL2 is highly expressed in GC tissues. We also analyzed clinicopathological data on DVL2 expression in gastric cancer specimens. In immunohistochemistry, DVL2 expression was up-regulated in GC tissues compared with paired adjacent non-tumor tissues (153/209, 73.2%). DVL2 expression level was significantly correlated with many clinicopathological parameters such as T stage (P < 0.001) and N stage (P < 0.001). Survival analysis showed that the overall survival (OS) of patients with high expression of DVL2 was significantly shorter than those with low expression. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that DVL2 expression was an important and independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer patients (P = 0.011, HR=1.78, 95%CI (1.14-2.79). Depletion of endogenous DVL2 using short hairpin RNA (shRNA) inhibited GC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The abnormal activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is mainly achieved through the abnormal expression of DVL2. DVL2 is highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues, which may be a new independent risk factor for the prognosis of gastric cancer patients. In gastric cancer, DVL2 overexpression plays a crucial role in the occurrence and development of gastric cancer, so it may become a new, effective and complementary therapeutic target for gastric cancer.

The interaction of Helicobacter pylori with cancer immunomodulatory stromal cells: New insight into gastric cancer pathogenesis

Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-linked deaths in the world. Gastric tumor cells have biological characteristics such as rapid proliferation, high invasiveness, and drug resistance, which result in recurrence and poor survival. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been proposed as a first-class carcinogen for gastric cancer according to the 1994 world health organization (WHO) classification. One of the important mechanisms by which H. pylori affects the gastric environment and promotes carcinogenesis is triggering inflammation. H. pylori induces an inflammatory response and a plethora of different signal transduction processes, leading to gastric mucosal disturbance, chronic gastritis, and a multi-step complex pathway that initiates carcinogenesis. It seems undeniable that the interaction between various cell types, including immune cells, gastric epithelium, glands, and stem cells, is vital for the progression and development of carcinogenesis concerning H. pylori. The interactions of H. pylori with surrounding cells play a key role in cancer progression. In this review, we discuss the interplay between H. pylori and tumor-supportive cells, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and myeloid derived-suppressor cells (MDSCs) in gastric cancer. It is hoped that clarifying the specific mechanisms for 'cross-talk' between H. pylori and these cells will provide promising strategies for developing new treatments.

[Nur77 promotes invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells through the NF-κB/IL-6 pathway]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the association of Nur77 with overall survival of gastric cancer patients and investigate the role of Nur77 in invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells.

METHODS

Oncomine database was used to analyze the expression of Nur77 in gastric cancer and gastric mucosa tissues, and the distribution characteristics of Nur77 protein between gastric cancer and normal tissues were compared using Human Protein Atlas. GEPIA2 was used to analyze the relationship of Nur77 expression and the patients' survival. The expression of Nur77 in gastric cancer cell lines GES-1, AGS and MKN-45 were detected by Western blotting. The regulatory interactions between IL-6 and Nur77 were verified by transfecting the cells with specific Nur-77 siRNA and Nur-77-overexpressing plasmid. The changes in migration ability of the cells following Nur-77 knockdown were assessed with scratch assay. The effect of Nur-77 overexpression or IL-6 knockdown, or their combination, on migration and invasion of the gastric cancer cells were examined using Transwell assay. The effect of Nur77 expression level on NF-κB/IL-6 pathway activation was analyzed using Western blotting.

RESULTS

Oncomine database showed that gastric cancer tissues expressed a significantly higher level of Nur77 mRNA than normal tissues (P < 0.05). Nur77 expression was detected mostly in the nucleus, and a high Nur77 expression was associated with a poor survival outcome of the patients (P < 0.05). In gastric cancer cells, the high expression of Nur77 participated in the regulation of IL-6. Nur77 silencing significantly lowered the migration ability of the cells (P < 0.05), and IL-6 silencing significantly attenuated the enhanced migration caused by Nur77 overexpression (P < 0.05). Nur77 participates in the activation of NF-κB/IL-6 signaling pathway by regulating the expression of p-p65, p65, p-Stat3 and Stat3.

CONCLUSION

A high Nur77 expression is strongly correlated with a poor prognosis of gastric cancer patients. Nur77 promotes the invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells possibly by regulating the NF-κB/IL-6 signaling pathway.

Vitamin K3 inhibits FtsZ assembly, disrupts the Z-ring in Streptococcus pneumoniae, and displays anti-pneumococcal activity

The respiratory pathogen, Streptococcus pneumoniae has acquired multiple-drug resistance over the years. An attractive strategy to combat pneumococcal infection is to target cell division to inhibit the proliferation of S. pneumoniae. This work presents Vitamin K3 as a potential anti-pneumococcal drug that targets FtsZ, the master coordinator of bacterial cell division. Vitamin K3 strongly inhibited S. pneumoniae proliferation with a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and a Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of 6 μg/mL. Vitamin K3 disrupted the Z-ring localization in both S. pneumoniae and Bacillus subtilis within 30 minutes of treatment, while the membrane integrity and nucleoid segregation remain unchanged. Several complementary experiments showed that Vitamin K3 inhibits the assembly of purified S. pneumoniae FtsZ (SpnFtsZ) and induces conformational changes in the protein. Interestingly, Vitamin K3 interfered with GTP-binding onto FtsZ and increased the GTPase activity of FtsZ polymers. The intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of SpnFtsZ revealed that Vitamin K3 delays the nucleation of FtsZ polymers and reduces the rate of polymerization. In the presence of a non-hydrolyzable analog of GTP, Vitamin K3 did not show inhibition of FtsZ polymerization. These results indicated that Vitamin K3 induces conformational changes in FtsZ that increase GTP hydrolysis and thereby, destabilize the FtsZ polymers. Together, our data provide evidence that Vitamin K3 derives its potent anti-pneumococcal activity by inhibiting FtsZ assembly.

CDC25B Inhibition by menadione: a potential new therapeutical approach

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common type of tumor and the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. The evolution of gastric carcinogenesis is still poorly understood and, for this reason, preclinical research protocols were established that included the development of gastric cancer cell lines and the establishment of models of gastric carcinogenesis in non-human primate Sapajus apella. A comprehensive literature search was performed in relevant databases such as PubMed, ResearchGate and Google Scholar to identify studies related to the topic. After an in-depth study of these reports, significant data/data were collected and compiled under appropriate headings. The main result of the studies carried out by the group on GC is the demonstration of the MYC gene overexpression as a common phenomenon in stomach carcinogenesis. Furthermore, we revealed that reducing the expression of the CDC25B gene, regulated by the MYC protein, is a therapeutic strategy against stomach tumors. This review article reveals preclinical evidence that treatment with menadione in experimental models of gastric tumorigenesis, in vivo and in vitro, inhibits the action of the phosphatase CDC25B and, consequently, prevents cell proliferation, invasion and migration.

Menadione: a platform and a target to valuable compounds synthesis

Naphthoquinones are important natural or synthetic compounds belonging to the general class of quinones. Many compounds in this class have become drugs that are on the pharmaceutical market for the treatment of various diseases. A special naphthoquinone derivative is menadione, a synthetic naphthoquinone belonging to the vitamin K group. This compound can be synthesized by different methods and it has a broad range of biological and synthetic applications, which will be highlighted in this review.

Antibacterial Vitamin K3 Carnosine Peptide-Laden Silk Fibroin Electrospun Fibers for Improvement of Skin Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats

The utilization of a multifunctional bioactive molecule functionalized electrospun dressing in tissue repair and regenerative function is a prominent therapeutic strategy for preparing efficient biomaterials to promote chronic wound healing. Designing robust and highly efficient antibacterial agents in resistance against microbes and bacterial infections is a key challenge for accelerating diabetic wound healing until today. In this study, we developed a vitamin K3 carnosine peptide (VKC)-laden silk fibroin electrospun scaffold (SF-VKC) for diabetic wound healing. The structural confirmation of synthesized VKC was characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy analysis, and the cell viability of VKC was evaluated by the CCK-8 assay in HFF1 and NIH 3T3 cells. VKC shows excellent cell viability on both cell lines, and the VKC and SF-VKC electrospun mats exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. Prepared SF and SF-VKC fibrous mats were well characterized, and the SF-VKC nanofiber mat presented good biodegradability, adhesiveness, unique mechanical property, expedient water uptake property, sustained drug release, and excellent biocompatibility for chronic wound healing. The in vitro tissue engineering study depicted excellent cell migration and cell-cell interaction in the NIH 3T3 cells over the VKC-impregnated silk fibroin (SF-VKC) mat. A higher population of cell migration was observed in cells' denuded area (scratched region) compared to the native SF fibrous mat. Interestingly, our results demonstrated that the prepared VKC-impregnated SF mat had potentially promoted the STZ-induced diabetic wound healing in a shorter period than the pure SF mat. Thus, obtained in vitro and in vivo outcomes suggest that the VKC-laden SF electrospun fibrous mat could be a better and inexpensive fibrous antibacterial biomaterial to elicit earlier re-epithelialization and efficient matrix remodeling for accelerating chronic infected wound reconstruction in skin diabetic wound healing applications.

Effects of sodium butyrate supplementation on inflammation, gut microbiota, and short-chain fatty acids in Helicobacter pylori-infected mice

BACKGROUND

Inflammation induced by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the basis for the pathogenesis of H. pylori. Butyric acid, a diet-related microbial-associated metabolite, is connected to inflammation, metabolic syndrome, and other diseases. Several studies have indicated the effects of sodium butyrate (SB) against bacteria; however, the effects of SB on the main virulence factors of H. pylori, H. pylori-induced inflammation, and gut microbiota composition remain unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

SB was supplemented in H. pylori coculture and administered to mice infected with H. pylori. The effects of SB intake on inflammation, gut microbiota composition, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in H. pylori-infected mice were assessed.

RESULTS

The in vitro experiments demonstrated that SB not only inhibited the growth of H. pylori but also decreased the mRNA expression of CagA and VacA. SB intake reduced the production of virulence factors in H. pylori-infected mice, inhibited the IκBα/NF-κB pathway by reducing the expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), and reduced the production of TNF-α and IL-8. Further analysis demonstrated that H. pylori infection altered the relative abundance of the intestinal microbial community in mice. The level of SCFAs in the feces of H. pylori-infected mice was changed, although the intake of SB did not obviously change the level of SCFAs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that SB may decrease H. pylori-induced inflammation by inhibiting the viability and virulence of H. pylori and may reduce inflammation in association with the gut microbiota in H. pylori-infected mice. This study may provide novel insights into the mechanisms by which SB, a diet-related microbial-associated metabolite, affects H. pylori-induced disease development.

Evodiamine Inhibits Helicobacter pylori Growth and Helicobacter pylori-Induced Inflammation

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) classified as a class I carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO) plays an important role in the progression of chronic gastritis and the development of gastric cancer. A major bioactive component of Evodia rutaecarpa, evodiamine, has been known for its anti-bacterial effect and anti-cancer effects. However, the inhibitory effect of evodiamine against H. pylori is not yet known and the inhibitory mechanisms of evodiamine against gastric cancer cells are yet to be elucidated concretely. In this study, therefore, anti-bacterial effect of evodiamine on H. pylori growth and its inhibitory mechanisms as well as anti-inflammatory effects and its mechanisms of evodiamine on H. pylori-induced inflammation were investigated in vitr. Results of this study showed the growth of the H. pylori reference strains and clinical isolates were inhibited by evodiamine. It was considered one of the inhibitory mechanisms that evodiamine downregulated both gene expressions of replication and transcription machineries of H. pylori. Treatment of evodiamine also induced downregulation of urease and diminished translocation of cytotoxin-associated antigen A (CagA) and vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) proteins into gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells. This may be resulted from the reduction of CagA and VacA expressions as well as the type IV secretion system (T4SS) components and secretion system subunit protein A (SecA) protein which are involved in translocation of CagA and VacA into host cells, respectively. In particular, evodiamine inhibited the activation of signaling proteins such as the nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway induced by H. pylori infection. It consequently might contribute to reduction of interleukin (IL)-8 production in AGS cells. Collectively, these results suggest anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of evodiamine against H. pylori.

Vitamin K Analogs Influence the Growth and Virulence Potential of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) causes serious foodborne disease worldwide. It produces the very potent Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2). The Stx2-encoding genes are located on a prophage, and production of the toxin is linked to the synthesis of Stx phages. There is, currently, no good treatment for EHEC infections, as antibiotics may trigger lytic cycle activation of the phages and increased Stx production. This study addresses how four analogs of vitamin K, phylloquinone (K1), menaquinone (K2), menadione (K3), and menadione sodium bisulfite (MSB), influence growth, Stx2-converting phage synthesis, and Stx2 production by the EHEC O157:H7 strain EDL933. Menadione and MSB conferred a concentration-dependent negative effect on bacterial growth, while phylloquinone or menaquinone had little and no effect on bacterial growth, respectively. All four vitamin K analogs affected Stx2 phage production negatively in uninduced cultures and in cultures induced with either hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), ciprofloxacin, or mitomycin C. Menadione and MSB reduced Stx2 production in cultures induced with either H₂O₂ or ciprofloxacin. MSB also had a negative effect on Stx2 production in two other EHEC isolates tested. Phylloquinone and menaquinone had, on the other hand, variable and concentration-dependent effects on Stx2 production. MSB, which conferred the strongest inhibitory effect on both Stx2 phage and Stx2 production, improved the growth of EHEC in the presence of H₂O₂ and ciprofloxacin, which could be explained by the reduced uptake of ciprofloxacin into the bacterial cell. Together, the data suggest that vitamin K analogs have a growth- and potential virulence-reducing effect on EHEC, which could be of therapeutic interest.IMPORTANCE Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) can cause serious illness and deaths in humans by producing toxins that can severely damage our intestines and kidneys. There is currently no optimal treatment for EHEC infections, as antibiotics can worsen disease development. Consequently, the need for new treatment options is urgent. Environmental factors in our intestines can affect the virulence of EHEC and help our bodies fight EHEC infections. The ruminant intestine, the main reservoir for EHEC, contains high levels of vitamin K, but the levels are variable in humans. This study shows that vitamin K analogs can inhibit the growth of EHEC and/or production of its main virulence factor, the Shiga toxin. They may also inhibit the spreading of the Shiga toxin encoding bacteriophage. Our findings indicate that vitamin K analogs have the potential to suppress the development of serious disease caused by EHEC.

Helicobacter pylori Oncogenicity: Mechanism, Prevention, and Risk Factors

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most common cause of gastric ulcer; however, its association with gastric cancer has been proved through a variety of studies. Importantly, H. pylori infection affects around half of the world's population leading to a variety of gastric problems and is mostly present in asymptomatic form. Although about 20% of people infected with H. pylori develop preneoplastic gastric lesions in later stages of their life, around 2% of infected individuals develop gastric cancer. Nevertheless, the outcome of H. pylori infection is determined by complex interaction between the host genetics, its environment, and virulence factors of infecting strain. There are several biomarkers/traits of H. pylori that have been linked with the onset of cancer. Among these, presence of certain major virulence factors including cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA), vacuolating cytotoxin (VacA), and outer inflammatory protein A (OipA) plays a significant role in triggering gastric cancer. These factors of H. pylori make it a potent carcinogen. Therefore, eradication of H. pylori infection has shown positive effects on decreasing the risk of gastric cancer, but this has become a challenge due to the development of antibiotic resistance in H. pylori against the antibiotics of choice. Thus, the unmet need is to develop new and effective treatments for H. pylori infection, considering the antimicrobial resistance in different regions of the world. This review discusses the properties of H. pylori associated with increased risk of gastric cancer, antibiotic resistance pattern, and the possible role of eradication of H. pylori in preventing gastric cancer.

Mechanisms of the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Tumor Microenvironment in Helicobacter pylori-Induced Gastric Cancer

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the most common human pathogens, affecting half of the world’s population. Approximately 20% of the infected patients develop gastric ulcers or neoplastic changes in the gastric stroma. An infection also leads to the progression of epithelial–mesenchymal transition within gastric tissue, increasing the probability of gastric cancer development. This paper aims to review the role of H. pylori and its virulence factors in epithelial–mesenchymal transition associated with malignant transformation within the gastric stroma. The reviewed factors included: CagA (cytotoxin-associated gene A) along with induction of cancer stem-cell properties and interaction with YAP (Yes-associated protein pathway), tumor necrosis factor α-inducing protein, Lpp20 lipoprotein, Afadin protein, penicillin-binding protein 1A, microRNA-29a-3p, programmed cell death protein 4, lysosomal-associated protein transmembrane 4β, cancer-associated fibroblasts, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF), matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7), and cancer stem cells (CSCs). The review summarizes the most recent findings, providing insight into potential molecular targets and new treatment strategies for gastric cancer.

Rice Protein Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Effect in Growing and Adult Rats via Suppressing NF-κB Pathway

To elucidate the effect of rice protein (RP) on the depression of inflammation, growing and adult rats were fed with caseins and RP for 2 weeks. Compared with casein, RP reduced hepatic accumulations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitro oxide (NO), and plasma activities of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) in growing and adult rats. Intake of RP led to increased mRNA levels, and protein expressions of phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), nuclear factor-κB 1 (NF-αB1), reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog A (RelA), tumor necrotic factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were decreased, whereas hepatic expressions of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) were increased by RP. The activation of NF-κB was suppressed by RP through upregulation of inhibitory κB α (IκBα), resulting in decreased translocation of nuclear factor-κB 1 (p50) and RelA (p65) to the nucleus in RP groups. The present study demonstrates that RP exerts an anti-inflammatory effect to inhibit ROS-derived inflammation through suppression of the NF-κB pathway in growing and adult rats. Results suggest that the anti-inflammatory capacity of RP is independent of age.

Probiotic effect on Helicobacter pylori attachment and inhibition of inflammation in human gastric epithelial cells

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a major cause of chronic gastritis, gastric ulcers and gastric cancer. Recent studies have identified that probiotics are beneficial to human health due, in part, to their anti-H. pylori activities. Therefore, the present study investigated the antagonistic and local immunoregulatory activities of seven commercial probiotic strains and explored their mechanisms of actions. The human gastric epithelial cell line-1 (GES-1) was used to assess the effects of probiotics on the adhesion ability of H. pylori. GES-1 cells were infected with H. pylori plus lipopolysaccharide (HP-LPS) or the drug-resistant H. pylori strain (HP021) in the presence or absence of live probiotics. Following this, the growth rate and the adhesion ability of GES-1 cells were detected using MTT and urease activity assay. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), NFKB inhibitor-α (IκBα) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB levels were measured by western blot analysis. The amount of interleukin (IL)-8 in the cell culture medium was determined by ELISA. Amongst the seven probiotic strains studied, live Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) and Lactobacillus bulgaricus (L. bulgaricus) inhibited H. pylori adherence to GES-1 cells most significantly. L. bulgaricus inhibited IL-8 production by GES-1 cells through modulation of the TLR4/IκBα/NF-κB pathway. Therefore, the present results suggested that consumption of food containing L. acidophilus and L. bulgaricus may be used as an adjuvant therapy for H. pylori-associated gastritis.