title: The neutrophil-activating protein of Helicobacter pylori (HP-NAP) as an immune modulating agent.
abstract: During evolution microorganisms have developed several immune modulating strategies. The Helicobacter pylori neutrophil-activating protein (HP-NAP) is a virulence factor that attracts and activates neutrophils, and promotes their endothelial adhesion and the production of oxygen radicals and chemokines, including CXCL8, CCL3 and CCL4. HP-NAP, a TLR2 agonist, is an immune modulator able to induce the expression of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-23 by human neutrophils and monocytes. In fact, HP-NAP has the potential to shift antigen-specific T-cell responses from a predominant Th2 to a polarized Th1 cytotoxic phenotype, characterized by high levels of interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha production. Thus, HP-NAP is a key factor driving Th1 inflammation in H. pylori infection and may be a new tool for future therapeutic strategies aimed at redirecting Th2 into Th1 responses, for example in atopy, vaccinology and cancer immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. delios@unifi.it
authors.forename: Mario Milco
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: D'Elios
authors.forename: Amedeo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amedei
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cappon
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Del Prete
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Bernard
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D037521:Virulence Factors; C092412:neutrophil-activating protein A, Helicobacter pylori