title: Study on the association of Helicobacter species with viral hepatitis-induced hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Helicobacter species are important pathogens and previous studies in mice suggested a link between colonization by Helicobacter hepaticus (H. hepaticus) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed at corroborating this potential link in human patients. We used a sensitive and specific Helicobacter ssp PCR assay to screen stool samples from a collective of patients with viral-induced HCC (hepatitis B or hepatitis C) and a control group for presence of Helicobacter ssp DNA. Although retrieving DNA of H. pylori and H. canadensis from stool samples of non-HCC patients, we found no evidence indicating the presence of H. hepaticus in HCC-patients with chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Interestingly we found H. canadensis in a stool sample of a patient presenting with diarrhea. Taken together, our data argue against a pathogenic role of H. hepaticus in viral-induced HCC. Yet, our results do not exclude a role of H. hepaticus in those HCC cases caused by other carcinogens, such as aflatoxin. Moreover, we speculate that H. canadensis might be a novel gastrointestinal pathogen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krüttgen
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Horz
authors.forename: Josefine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weber-Heynemann
authors.forename: Mihael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vucur
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trautwein
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Haase
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Luedde
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roderburg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D016998:Helicobacter / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial