Invasion and multiplication of Helicobacter pylori in gastric epithelial cells and implications for antibiotic resistance.
Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative, spiral-shaped bacterium that infects more than 50% of the human population and can cause gastritis, peptic ulcer, or gastric malignancies. It is generally viewed as an extracellular microorganism. In a gentamicin protection assay on AGS or MKN45 cells, H. pylori could invade the epithelial cells and multiply within double-layer vesicles either on the plasma membrane or in the cytoplasm. A 5-fold increase in the number of bacteria was recultured from the infected cells at 12 h, compared with the number of invading cells at 2.5 h postinfection. The autophagic vesicles induced by H. pylori are the sites of replication and also of the degradation of the replicating bacteria after fusion with lysosomes. Many H. pylori bacteria in coccoid form associated with the plasma membrane can be released into culture. Only cell-penetrating antibiotics can enhance the intracellular killing of the replicating bacteria. The multiplication of H. pylori within cells provides a niche for its resistance to antibacterial therapy and has a significant impact on its biological life cycle.
Chu
Yen-Ting
YT
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Wang
Ya-Hui
YH
Wu
Jiunn-Jong
JJ
Lei
Huan-Yao
HY
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013270:Stomach / Q000166:cytology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents