title: EPIYA motif patterns among Cuban Helicobacter pylori CagA positive strains.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is known that polymorphisms in C-terminal region of CagA influence gastric disease development on Helicobacter pylori infection. Additionally, the geographic distribution of these polymorphisms has been associated with the appearance of more severe gastroduodenal pathologies. Objective. To determine the CagA phosphorylation motifs pattern (EPIYA pattern) in Cuban H. pylori isolates, and to study its association with patient´s pathologies.
  
  
  METHODS
  DNAs from 95 H. pylori cagA-positive strains were used to amplify the 3´ variable region of cagA gene by PCR using two different strategies. Additionally, new primers were designed to identify either Western or Eastern CagAEPIYA motiftype by PCR. To confirm the PCR results, PCR products from 14 representative isolates were purified and sequenced.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The distribution of the EPIYA motif found was: 2 AB (2.1 %), 1 AC (1.1 %), 1 BC (1.1 %), 70 ABC (73.6 %), 19 ABCC (20 %), and 2 ABCCC (2.1 %). Sequencing analysis confirmed the PCR classification in the 14 studied strains and showed three strains with unusual nucleotide sequences, not reported before. Distribution of the EPIYA-ABC pattern was equivalent in all pathologies (78.9 % in gastric ulcer, 72.5 % in duodenal ulcer and 72.2 % in non-ulcer dyspepsia).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PCR results using the new primers confirmed that all studied strains carried the Western CagA type. No specific EPIYA motif was associated with peptic ulcer. This is the first report that shows EPIYA motif distribution in H. pylori isolates from the Caribbean region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research and Development, Division of Production and Development of Equipments and Diagnostics, National Centre for Scientific Research, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Lino E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Lidice
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Karelia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Melián
authors.forename: Jordis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Arlenis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Mayrín
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Ludisleydis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bermúdez
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pérez-Pérez
authors.forename: Boris L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003462:Cuba / Q000453:epidemiology; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D054592:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 11 / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014774:Virulence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C080866:cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori; C516724:PTPN11 protein, human; D054592:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 11