Going from ulcers to cancerAugust 25, 2008Appearing in JBC online Aug. 22 Researchers have uncovered a big clue as to why some of the bacteria that cause stomach ulcers pose a greater risk for serious problems like stomach cancer than others; it turns out these bacteria can exploit the surrounding stomach cells to protect them from the immune system. Helicobacter pylori is a bacterial strain that can infect the human stomach and induce inflammation, ulcers, and potentially even stomach cancer. However, only a small fraction of H. pylori infections ultimately lead to cancer, leading researchers to figure out what biological events will trigger this path.
One type of H. pylori strain that seems to increase disease risk is the cag+ strain, which contains a set of proteins that allows it to inject bacterial proteins into cells following attachment to the stomach lining; this interaction between bacteria and gastric cells may be a key contributor to chronic damage. Richard Peek and colleagues investigated a cag+ strain in mouse models of H. pylori infection and found that a protein called CagE could induce gastric cells to turn on a receptor called Decay-accelerating factor (DAF); DAF acts to remove nearby immune proteins that can kill cells to prevent unwanted immune damage. In essence, the bacteria use the DAF receptor on the host cell they're attached to like a bodyguard to protect them from the immune system. Peek and colleagues also note that by continually inducing DAF expression, H. pylori creates an environment of persistent inflammation that can reduce the threshold required for more serious diseases to develop. American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
Related Ulcers Current Events and Ulcers News Articles Researchers describe how chronic inflammation can lead to stomach cancer A multi-center research team, led by Columbia University Medical Center, has uncovered a major contributor to the cause of stomach cancer - the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the world. Study reports Double Balloon Endoscopy useful for diagnosis and treatment of obscure GI bleeding A study by researchers in Japan concludes that Double Balloon Endoscopy (DBE) was very useful in the diagnosis of obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding and had a therapeutic impact on the majority of patients. H. Pylori bacteria may help prevent some esophageal cancers Some bacteria may help protect against the development of a type of esophageal cancer, known as adenocarcinoma, according to a new review of the medical literature. These bacteria, which are called Helicobacter pylori, live in the stomachs of humans. Endoscopy may not be necessary in asymptomatic children after caustic ingestion A new study from researchers in Italy reports that endoscopy may not be necessary in children who show no symptoms after a caustic ingestion. Leishmaniasis parasites evade death by exploiting the immune response to sand fly bites Cutaneous leishmaniasis, a disease characterized by painful skin ulcers, occurs when the parasite Leishmania major, or a related species, is transmitted to a mammalian host by the bite of an infected sand fly. ASGE issues guidelines on the role of endoscopy in the bariatric surgery patient The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has issued guidelines on the role of endoscopy in the bariatric surgery patient. Licking your wounds: Scientists isolate compound in human saliva that speeds wound healing A report by scientists from The Netherlands published online in The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) identifies a compound in human saliva that greatly speeds wound healing. New research from Rhode Island Hospital may help predict outcomes for stomach cancer patients Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have identified two potential molecular markers that may predict outcomes for patients with stomach cancer, one of the most common and fatal cancers worldwide. MDCT, virtual gastroscopy and MPR images differentiate malignant and benign gastric ulcers Multidetector CT using virtual gastroscopy and post contrast enhanced multiplanar reformation images can be useful in differentiating between malignant and benign gastric ulcers, according to a recent study conducted by researchers from Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Complexity of Crohn's disease revealed as 'gene' count tops 30 New research has trebled the number of genetic regions known to be implicated in Crohn's disease, a form of inflammatory bowel disease, to over thirty. More Ulcers Current Events and Ulcers News Articles |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||