The vacuolating cytotoxin of Helicobacter pylori.
Helicobacter pylori, the causative agent of chronic superficial gastritis and duodenal ulcer disease in humans, produces a unique cytotoxin (VacA) that induces cytoplasmic vacuolation in eukaryotic cells. The structural organization and processing of the vacuolating cytotoxin are characteristic of a family of proteins exemplified by Neisseria gonorrhoeae IgA protease. Although only 50% of H. pylori isolates produce detectable cytotoxin activity in vitro, vacA homologues are present in virtually all isolates. Several families of vacA alleles have been identified, and there is a strong correlation between presence of specific vacA genotypes, cytotoxin activity, and peptic ulceration. Experiments in a mouse model of H. pylori-induced gastric damage indicate that the cytotoxin plays an important role in inducing gastric epithelial necrosis.
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Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2605, USA.
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003603:Cytotoxins; C074689:VacA protein, Helicobacter pylori