Persistent Helicobacter pylori infection and genetic polymorphisms of the host

Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection elevates the risk of gastric diseases including peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. The infection induces inflammatory cytokines, which could work both for and against lifetime infection in the human stomach. Genetic polymorphisms of the cytokines and other related ligands, receptors, and enzymes may influence persistent HP infection. This paper summarizes studies done on the associations between anti-HP antibody seropositivity and polymorphism genotypes. To date, the associations with the polymorphisms of fucosyl transferase 2 (FUT2 or secretor gene), FUT3 (Lewis gene), interleukin 1A (IL-1A), IL-1B, IL-1RN, IL-8, IL-10, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and tumor necrosis factor A (TNF-A) and TNF-B have been reported. Polymorphisms of other related genes, CD14, CXC chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2), IL-1RI, nuclear factor KB2 (NF-KB2), and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), have the potential to influence persistent infection. Unpublished results from our datasets are reported here for all these polymorphisms except TLR4. Gene-environment interactions between these genotypes and smoking are reviewed. An effect on OR due to the involvement of unexposed subjects is demonstrated to elucidate a disadvantage in the studies done in areas where the majority of the population is not exposed to HP.