The co-evolved <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>and gastric cancer: trinity of bacterial virulence, host susceptibility and lifestyle
<p>Abstract</p> <p><it>Helicobacter pylori </it>is an important yet unproven etiological agent of gastric cancer. <it>H. pylori </it>infection is more prevalent in developing Asian countries like India and it is usually acquired at an early age. It has been...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2007-01-01
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| Series: | Infectious Agents and Cancer |
| Online Access: | http://www.infectagentscancer.com/content/2/1/2 |
| _version_ | 1811318114751610880 |
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| author | Devi S Manjulata Ahmed Irshad Akhter Yusuf Ahmed Niyaz |
| author_facet | Devi S Manjulata Ahmed Irshad Akhter Yusuf Ahmed Niyaz |
| author_sort | Devi S Manjulata |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p><it>Helicobacter pylori </it>is an important yet unproven etiological agent of gastric cancer. <it>H. pylori </it>infection is more prevalent in developing Asian countries like India and it is usually acquired at an early age. It has been two decades since Marshall and Warren (1984) first described curved bacilli in the stomach of ulcer and gastritis patients. This discovery has won them the Nobel Prize recently, but the debate whether <it>H. pylori </it>is a pathogen or a commensal organism is still hot. Associations with disease-specific factors remain illusive years after the genome sequences were made available. Cytotoxin-associated antigen A (Cag<it>A</it>) and the so-called plasticity region cluster genes are implicated in pathogenesis of the carcinoma of stomach. Another virulence factor VacA whose role is still debatable, has recently been projected in pathology of gastric cancer. Studies of the evolution through genetic variation in <it>H. pylori </it>populations have provided a window into the history of human population migrations and a possible co-evolution of this pathogen with its human host. Possible symbiotic relationships were seriously debated since the discovery of this pathogen. The debate has been further intensified as some studies proposed <it>H. pylori </it>infection to be beneficial in some humans. In this commentary, we attempt to briefly discuss about <it>H. pylori </it>as a human pathogen, and some of the important issues linked to its pathophysiology in different hosts.</p> <p>'We dance around in a ring and suppose, the secret sits in the middle and knows' – Robert Frost</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:20:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c33bdbd0ea64b708b0807c4b361fe58 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1750-9378 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:20:23Z |
| publishDate | 2007-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Infectious Agents and Cancer |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c33bdbd0ea64b708b0807c4b361fe582022-12-22T02:47:13ZengBMCInfectious Agents and Cancer1750-93782007-01-0121210.1186/1750-9378-2-2The co-evolved <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>and gastric cancer: trinity of bacterial virulence, host susceptibility and lifestyleDevi S ManjulataAhmed IrshadAkhter YusufAhmed Niyaz<p>Abstract</p> <p><it>Helicobacter pylori </it>is an important yet unproven etiological agent of gastric cancer. <it>H. pylori </it>infection is more prevalent in developing Asian countries like India and it is usually acquired at an early age. It has been two decades since Marshall and Warren (1984) first described curved bacilli in the stomach of ulcer and gastritis patients. This discovery has won them the Nobel Prize recently, but the debate whether <it>H. pylori </it>is a pathogen or a commensal organism is still hot. Associations with disease-specific factors remain illusive years after the genome sequences were made available. Cytotoxin-associated antigen A (Cag<it>A</it>) and the so-called plasticity region cluster genes are implicated in pathogenesis of the carcinoma of stomach. Another virulence factor VacA whose role is still debatable, has recently been projected in pathology of gastric cancer. Studies of the evolution through genetic variation in <it>H. pylori </it>populations have provided a window into the history of human population migrations and a possible co-evolution of this pathogen with its human host. Possible symbiotic relationships were seriously debated since the discovery of this pathogen. The debate has been further intensified as some studies proposed <it>H. pylori </it>infection to be beneficial in some humans. In this commentary, we attempt to briefly discuss about <it>H. pylori </it>as a human pathogen, and some of the important issues linked to its pathophysiology in different hosts.</p> <p>'We dance around in a ring and suppose, the secret sits in the middle and knows' – Robert Frost</p>http://www.infectagentscancer.com/content/2/1/2 |
| spellingShingle | Devi S Manjulata Ahmed Irshad Akhter Yusuf Ahmed Niyaz The co-evolved <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>and gastric cancer: trinity of bacterial virulence, host susceptibility and lifestyle Infectious Agents and Cancer |
| title | The co-evolved <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>and gastric cancer: trinity of bacterial virulence, host susceptibility and lifestyle |
| title_full | The co-evolved <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>and gastric cancer: trinity of bacterial virulence, host susceptibility and lifestyle |
| title_fullStr | The co-evolved <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>and gastric cancer: trinity of bacterial virulence, host susceptibility and lifestyle |
| title_full_unstemmed | The co-evolved <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>and gastric cancer: trinity of bacterial virulence, host susceptibility and lifestyle |
| title_short | The co-evolved <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>and gastric cancer: trinity of bacterial virulence, host susceptibility and lifestyle |
| title_sort | co evolved it helicobacter pylori it and gastric cancer trinity of bacterial virulence host susceptibility and lifestyle |
| url | http://www.infectagentscancer.com/content/2/1/2 |
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