Carcinogenic bacterial pathogen Helicobacter pylori triggers DNA double-strand breaks and a DNA damage response in its host cells.

ABSTRACT: The bacterial pathogen Helicobacter pylori chronically infects the human gastric mucosa and is the leading risk factor for the development of gastric cancer. The molecular mechanisms of H. pylori-associated gastric carcinogenesis remain ill defined. In this study, we examined the possibility that H. pylori directly compromises the genomic integrity of its host cells. We provide evidence that the infection introduces DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in primary and transformed murine and human epithelial and mesenchymal cells. The induction of DSBs depends on the direct contact of live bacteria with mammalian cells. The infection-associated DNA damage is evident upon separation of nuclear DNA by pulse field gel electrophoresis and by high-magnification microscopy of metaphase chromosomes. Bac

SUBMITTER: Toller IM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3169107 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature