Lipopolysaccharide a virulence factor of Helicobacter pylori: effect of antiulcer agents

Helicobacter pylori plays a major role in the pathogenesis of gastric disease. The gastric epithelial integrity is compromised by the H. pylori cell wall lipopolysaccharide untoward effect on the gastric epithelial cell receptors interaction with proteins of extracellular matrix, glycoproteins of mucus coat, and bioactive peptides. These interactions cause the weakening of the mucus coat rendering the underying epithelium vulnerable to noxious luminal contents and disrupting the regulatory feedback of somatostatin and gastrin. Moreover, H. pylori lipopolysaccharide induces histologic lesions typical of acute gastritis and these changes are reflected in the increased epithelial cell apoptosis. These findings thus identify cell wall lipopolysaccharide as a virulent factor responsible for the H. pylori effect on gastric epithelium. The effect of antiulcer agents on the interference of lipopolysaccharide with the laminin receptor was found to be most efficiently countered by ebrotidine, sulglycotide and sucralfate, whereas sulglycotide is the most potent in the reversal of the inhibitory effect of the lipopolysaccharide on mucin receptor binding. In the case of somatostatin-receptor binding, sulglycotide followed by sucralfate and ebrotidine showed the most potency in of reversing the effect of H. pylori lipopolysaccharide. Thus these antiulcer agents have a great promise in the treatment gastric diseases associated with H. pylori infection.