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Updated: Sep 8, 2026
Multicolor Flow Cytometry Analyses of Cellular Immune Response in Rhesus Macaques
Published on: April 22, 2010
Characterization of the Cag pathogenicity island in Helicobacter pylori from naturally infected rhesus macaques
Emma C Skoog1, Samuel L Deck1, Hasan D Entwistle1
1Departments of Medicine and of Microbiology & Immunology, Center for Comparative Medicine, California National Primate Research Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Abstract:
Helicobacter pylori commonly infects the epithelial layer of the human stomach and in some individuals causes peptic ulcers, gastric adenocarcinoma or gastric lymphoma. Helicobacter pylori is a genetically diverse species, and the most important bacterial virulence factor that increases the risk of developing disease, versus asymptomatic colonization, is the cytotoxin associated gene pathogenicity island (cagPAI). Socially housed rhesus macaques are often naturally infected with H. pylori similar to that which colonizes humans, but little is known about the cagPAI. Here we show that H. pylori strains isolated from naturally infected rhesus macaques have a cagPAI very similar to that found in human clinical isolates, and like human isolates, it encodes a functional type IV secretion system. These results provide further support for the relevance of rhesus macaques as a valid experimental model for H. pylori infection in humans.
Insights
Rhesus macaques infected with Helicobacter pylori possess a cytotoxin associated gene pathogenicity island (cagPAI) similar to humans. This finding supports macaques as a valuable model for studying H. pylori pathogenesis and developing new treatments.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Animal Models
Background:
- Helicobacter pylori infection is a significant cause of human gastric diseases, including ulcers and cancer.
- The cytotoxin associated gene pathogenicity island (cagPAI) is a key virulence factor in H. pylori, influencing disease development.
- Rhesus macaques are naturally infected with H. pylori, presenting a potential model for human infections, but their cagPAI is poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and characteristics of the cagPAI in H. pylori strains isolated from rhesus macaques.
- To compare the cagPAI of macaque-derived H. pylori with that of human clinical isolates.
- To assess the functional relevance of the macaque cagPAI, particularly its type IV secretion system.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and genetic analysis of H. pylori strains from naturally infected rhesus macaques.
- Comparative genomic analysis of the cagPAI between macaque and human H. pylori isolates.
- Functional assessment of the type IV secretion system encoded by the macaque cagPAI.
Main Results:
- H. pylori strains from rhesus macaques harbor a cagPAI highly similar to those found in human isolates.
- The macaque cagPAI encodes a functional type IV secretion system, analogous to its human counterpart.
- Genetic similarity suggests conserved virulence mechanisms between macaque and human H. pylori.
Conclusions:
- Rhesus macaques infected with H. pylori exhibit a cagPAI comparable to human strains.
- The presence of a functional type IV secretion system in macaque H. pylori strengthens their utility as a model.
- These findings validate the use of rhesus macaques for preclinical research on H. pylori-associated diseases.
