Natural antibiotic function of a human gastric mucin against Helicobacter pylori infection.
Helicobacter pylori infects the stomachs of nearly a half the human population, yet most infected individuals remain asymptomatic, which suggests that there is a host defense against this bacterium. Because H. pylori is rarely found in deeper portions of the gastric mucosa, where O-glycans are expressed that have terminal alpha1,4-linked N-acetylglucosamine, we tested whether these O-glycans might affect H. pylori growth. Here, we report that these O-glycans have antimicrobial activity against H. pylori, inhibiting its biosynthesis of cholesteryl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside, a major cell wall component. Thus, the unique O-glycans in gastric mucin appeared to function as a natural antibiotic, protecting the host from H. pylori infection.
Kawakubo
Masatomo
M
Department of Pathology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Asahi 3-1-1, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan.
Ito
Yuki
Y
Okimura
Yukie
Y
Kobayashi
Motohiro
M
Sakura
Kyoko
K
Kasama
Susumu
S
Fukuda
Michiko N
MN
Fukuda
Minoru
M
Katsuyama
Tsutomu
T
Nakayama
Jun
J
D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D016466:CHO Cells; D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D006224:Cricetinae; D005752:Gastric Mucins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D051917:Leukosialin; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D012995:Solubility
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015703:Antigens, CD; D005752:Gastric Mucins; D051917:Leukosialin; D011134:Polysaccharides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C465014:SPN protein, human; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; C027578:cholesteryl glucoside; D002784:Cholesterol; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; C023256:UDPglucose-sterol glucosyltransferase; D000117:Acetylglucosamine