Red wine and green tea reduce H pylori- or VacA-induced gastritis in a mouse model.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether red wine and green tea could exert anti-H pylori or anti-VacA activity in vivo in a mouse model of experimental infection.


METHODS
Ethanol-free red wine and green tea concentrates were administered orally as a mixture of the two beverages to H pylori infected mice, or separately to VacA-treated mice. Gastric colonization and gastric inflammation were quantified by microbiological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical analyses.


RESULTS
In H pylori-infected mice, the red wine and green tea mixture significantly prevented gastritis and limited the localization of bacteria and VacA to the surface of the gastric epithelium. Similarly, both beverages significantly prevented gastric epithelium damage in VacA-treated mice; green tea, but not red wine, also altered the VacA localization in the gastric epithelium.


CONCLUSIONS
Red wine and green tea are able to prevent H pylori-induced gastric epithelium damage, possibly involving VacA inhibition. This observation supports the possible relevance of diet on the pathological outcome of H pylori infection.
Ruggiero
Paolo
P
Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics s.r.l., Research Center, Via Fiorentina 1, Siena I-53100, Italy. paolo.ruggiero@novartis.com
Rossi
Giacomo
G
Tombola
Francesco
F
Pancotto
Laura
L
Lauretti
Laura
L
Del Giudice
Giuseppe
G
Zoratti
Mario
M
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D028241:Camellia sinensis; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D005756:Gastritis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013662:Tea; D027843:Vitis; D014920:Wine
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003603:Cytotoxins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013662:Tea; C074689:VacA protein, Helicobacter pylori