Probing the expression and adhesion of glycans involved in Helicobacter pylori infection

Area of Science:

• Microbiology and Immunology
• Bacterial Pathogenesis
• Carbohydrate Chemistry

Background:

• Helicobacter pylori infects half the global population, causing gastritis and gastric cancer.
• Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem for H. pylori treatment.
• H. pylori utilizes lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with blood group antigens for immune evasion and adhesion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To profile H. pylori carbohydrates using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and lectins.
• To investigate the adhesive forces of mAbs and lectins on H. pylori surfaces using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).
• To assess the potential of anti-carbohydrate antibodies in reducing H. pylori adhesion to gastric cells.

Main Methods:

• Profiling H. pylori (strains SS1 and 26695) carbohydrates with specific mAbs and lectins.
• Utilizing Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to measure antibody and lectin adhesion forces on bacterial surfaces.
• Quantifying the reduction in H. pylori adhesion to gastric adenocarcinoma cells using anti-carbohydrate antibodies and AFM.

Main Results:

• Identified interactions between specific carbohydrate-targeting mAbs and multiple lectins.
• Observed increased adhesive forces of selected mAbs and lectins on H. pylori surfaces via AFM.
• Demonstrated that anti-carbohydrate antibodies significantly reduce H. pylori adhesion to human gastric cells.

Conclusions:

• Bacterial carbohydrates are viable targets for therapeutic intervention against H. pylori.
• Anti-carbohydrate antibodies can disrupt H. pylori adhesion and immune evasion mechanisms.
• Targeting H. pylori carbohydrates presents a promising strategy to combat infections, especially those with antibiotic resistance.