Helicobacter pylori infection induces STAT3 phosphorylation on Ser727 and autophagy in human gastric epithelial cells and mouse stomach

Abstract Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is considered as one of the principal risk factors of gastric cancer. Constitutive activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays an important role in inflammation-associated gastric carcinogenesis. In the canonical STAT3 pathway, phosphorylation of STAT3 on Tyr705 is a major event of STAT3 activation. However, recent studies have demonstrated that STAT3 phosphorylated on Ser727 has an independent function in mitochondria. In the present study, we found that human gastric epithelial AGS cells infected with H. pylori resulted in localization of STAT3 phosphorylated on Ser727 (P-STAT3Ser727), predominantly in the mitochondria. Notably, H. pylori-infected AGS cells exhibited the loss of mitochondrial integrity and increased expression of the microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), the autophagosomal membrane-associated protein. Treatment of AGS cells with a mitophagy inducer, carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), resulted in accumulation of P-STAT3Ser727 in mitochondria. In addition, the elevated expression and mitochondrial localization of LC3 induced by H. pylori infection were attenuated in AGS cells harboring STAT3 mutation defective in Ser727 phosphorylation (S727A). We also observed that both P-STAT3Ser727 expression and LC3 accumulation were increased in the mitochondria of H. pylori-inoculated mouse stomach.

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Effects ofHelicobacter pyloriand Heat Shock Protein 70 on the Proliferation of Human Gastric Epithelial Cells

Gastroenterology Research and Practice ◽

10.1155/2014/794342 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Liping Tao ◽

Hai Zou ◽

Zhimin Huang

Keyword(s):

Helicobacter Pylori ◽

Heat Shock ◽

Epithelial Cells ◽

Heat Shock Protein ◽

Mtt Assay ◽

Heat Shock Protein 70 ◽

Hsp70 Expression ◽

Gastric Epithelial Cells ◽

Ags Cells ◽

H Pylori

Infection ofHelicobacter pylori (H. pylori)changed the proliferation of gastric epithelial cells and decreased the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). However, the effects ofH. pylorion the proliferation of gastric epithelial cells and the roles of HSP70 during the progress need further investigation.Objective.To investigate the effects ofHelicobacter pylori (H. pylori)and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) on the proliferation of human gastric epithelial cells.Methods. H. pyloriand a human gastric epithelial cell line (AGS) were cocultured. The proliferation of AGS cells was quantitated by an MTT assay, and the expression of HSP70 in AGS cells was detected by Western blotting. HSP70 expression in AGS cells was silenced by small interfering RNA (siRNA) to investigate the role of HSP70. ThesiRNA-treated AGS cells were cocultured withH. pyloriand cell proliferation was measured by an MTT assay.Results.The proliferation of AGS cells was accelerated by coculturing withH. pylorifor 4 and 8 h, but was suppressed at 24 and 48 h. HSP70 expression was decreased in AGS cells infected byH. pylorifor 48 h. The proliferation in HSP70-silenced AGS cells was inhibited after coculturing withH. pylorifor 24 and 48 h compared with the control group.Conclusions.Coculture ofH. pylorialtered the proliferation of gastric epithelial cells and decreased HSP70 expression. HSP70 knockdown supplemented the inhibitory effect ofH. pylorion proliferation of epithelial cells. These results indicate that the effects ofH. pylorion the proliferation of gastric epithelial cells at least partially depend on the decreased expression of HSP70 induced by the bacterium.

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Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 Attenuates Helicobacter pylori-Associated Gastritis and Reduces Levels of Proinflammatory Chemokines in C57BL/6 Mice

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology ◽

10.1128/cdli.12.12.1378-1386.2005 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 1378-1386 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

Dionyssios N. Sgouras ◽

Effrosini G. Panayotopoulou ◽

Beatriz Martinez-Gonzalez ◽

Kalliopi Petraki ◽

Spyros Michopoulos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Helicobacter Pylori ◽

Lamina Propria ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Favorable Effect ◽

Lactobacillus Johnsonii ◽

Ags Cells ◽

Inflammatory Infiltration ◽

H Pylori

ABSTRACT In clinical settings, Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 administration has been reported to have a favorable effect on Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis, although the mechanism remains unclear. We administered, continuously through the water supply, live La1 to H. pylori-infected C57BL/6 mice and followed colonization, the development of H. pylori-associated gastritis in the lamina propria, and the levels of proinflammatory chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP-2) and keratinocyte-derived cytokine (KC) in the serum and gastric tissue over a period of 3 months. We documented a significant attenuation in both lymphocytic (P = 0.038) and neutrophilic (P = 0.003) inflammatory infiltration in the lamina propria as well as in the circulating levels of anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibodies (P = 0.003), although we did not observe a suppressive effect of La1 on H. pylori colonizing numbers. Other lactobacilli, such as L. amylovorus DCE 471 and L. acidophilus IBB 801, did not attenuate H. pylori-associated gastritis to the same extent. MIP-2 serum levels were distinctly reduced during the early stages of H. pylori infection in the La1-treated animals, as were gastric mucosal levels of MIP-2 and KC. Finally, we also observed a significant reduction (P = 0.046) in H. pylori-induced interleukin-8 secretion by human adenocarcinoma AGS cells in vitro in the presence of neutralized (pH 6.8) La1 spent culture supernatants, without concomitant loss of H. pylori viability. These observations suggest that during the early infection stages, administration of La1 can attenuate H. pylori-induced gastritis in vivo, possibly by reducing proinflammatory chemotactic signals responsible for the recruitment of lymphocytes and neutrophils in the lamina propria.

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Helicobacter pylori Induces Gastric Epithelial Cell Apoptosis in Association with Increased Fas Receptor Expression

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.67.8.4237-4242.1999 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 67 (8) ◽

pp. 4237-4242 ◽

Cited By ~ 106

Author(s):

Nicola L. Jones ◽

Andrew S. Day ◽

Hilary A. Jennings ◽

Philip M. Sherman

Keyword(s):

Cell Death ◽

Helicobacter Pylori ◽

Epithelial Cells ◽

Receptor Expression ◽

Gastric Epithelial Cells ◽

Ags Cells ◽

Fas Receptor ◽

Epithelial Cell Apoptosis ◽

H Pylori

ABSTRACT The mechanisms involved in mediating the enhanced gastric epithelial cell apoptosis observed during infection withHelicobacter pylori in vivo are unknown. To determine whether H. pylori directly induces apoptosis of gastric epithelial cells in vitro and to define the role of the Fas-Fas ligand signal transduction cascade, human gastric epithelial cells were infected with H. pylori for up to 72 h under microaerophilic conditions. As assessed by both transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy, incubation with acagA-positive, cagE-positive, VacA-positive clinical H. pylori isolate stimulated an increase in apoptosis compared to the apoptosis of untreated AGS cells (16.0% ± 2.8% versus 5.9% ± 1.4%, P < 0.05) after 72 h. In contrast, apoptosis was not detected following infection withcagA-negative, cagE-negative, VacA-negative clinical isolates or a Campylobacter jejuni strain. In addition to stimulating apoptosis, infection with H. pylorienhanced Fas receptor expression in AGS cells to a degree comparable to that of treatment with a positive control, gamma interferon (12.5 ng/ml) (148% ± 24% and 167% ± 24% of control, respectively). The enhanced Fas receptor expression was associated with increased sensitivity to Fas-mediated cell death. Ligation of the Fas receptor with an agonistic monoclonal antibody resulted in an increase in apoptosis compared to the apoptosis of cells infected with the bacterium alone (38.5% ± 7.1% versus 16.0% ± 2.8%,P < 0.05). Incubation with neutralizing anti-Fas antibody did not prevent apoptosis of H. pylori-infected cells. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the gastric pathogen H. pylori stimulates apoptosis of gastric epithelial cells in vitro in association with the enhanced expression of the Fas receptor. These data indicate a role for Fas-mediated signaling in the programmed cell death that occurs in response toH. pylori infection.

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Lactobacillus fermentum UCO-979C beneficially modulates the innate immune response triggered by Helicobacter pylori infection in vitro

Beneficial Microbes ◽

10.3920/bm2018.0019 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 829-841 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

V. Garcia-Castillo ◽

H. Zelaya ◽

A. Ilabaca ◽

M. Espinoza-Monje ◽

R. Komatsu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Helicobacter Pylori ◽

Epithelial Cells ◽

Morphological Changes ◽

Helicobacter Pylori Infection ◽

Lactobacillus Fermentum ◽

Gastric Tissue ◽

Gastric Epithelial Cells ◽

Ags Cells ◽

H Pylori

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with important gastric pathologies. An aggressive proinflammatory immune response is generated in the gastric tissue infected with H. pylori, resulting in gastritis and a series of morphological changes that increase the susceptibility to cancer development. Probiotics could present an alternative solution to prevent or decrease H. pylori infection. Among them, the use of immunomodulatory lactic acid bacteria represents a promising option to reduce the severity of chronic inflammatory-mediated tissue damage and to improve protective immunity against H. pylori. We previously isolated Lactobacillus fermentum UCO-979C from human gastric tissue and demonstrated its capacity to reduce adhesion of H. pylori to human gastric epithelial cells (AGS cells). In this work, the ability of L. fermentum UCO-979C to modulate immune response in AGS cells and PMA phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-differentiated THP-1 (human monocytic leukaemia) macrophages in response to H. pylori infection was evaluated. We demonstrated that the UCO-979C strain is able to differentially modulate the cytokine response of gastric epithelial cells and macrophages after H. pylori infection. Of note, L. fermentum UCO-979C was able to significantly reduce the production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in AGS and THP-1 cells as well as increase the levels of immunoregulatory cytokines, indicating a remarkable anti-inflammatory effect. These findings strongly support the probiotic potential of L. fermentum UCO-979C and provide evidence of its beneficial effects against the inflammatory damage induced by H. pylori infection. Although our findings should be proven in appropriate experiments in vivo, in both H. pylori infection animal models and human trials, the results of the present work provide a scientific rationale for the use of L. fermentum UCO-979C to prevent or reduce H. pylori-induced gastric inflammation in humans.

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Inhibitory Effect of β-Carotene on Helicobacter pylori-Induced TRAF Expression and Hyper-Proliferation in Gastric Epithelial Cells

Antioxidants ◽

10.3390/antiox8120637 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. 637 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yongchae Park ◽

Hanbit Lee ◽

Joo Weon Lim ◽

Hyeyoung Kim

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Gastric Cancer ◽

Helicobacter Pylori ◽

Epithelial Cells ◽

Nadph Oxidase ◽

Gastric Epithelial Cells ◽

Gastric Cancer Cells ◽

Ags Cells ◽

H Pylori ◽

Β Carotene

Helicobacter pylori infection causes the hyper-proliferation of gastric epithelial cells that leads to the development of gastric cancer. Overexpression of tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor (TRAF) is shown in gastric cancer cells. The dietary antioxidant β-carotene has been shown to counter hyper-proliferation in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells. The present study was carried out to examine the β-carotene mechanism of action. We first showed that H. pylori infection decreases cellular IκBα levels while increasing cell viability, NADPH oxidase activity, reactive oxygen species production, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activation, and TRAF1 and TRAF2 gene expression, as well as protein–protein interaction in gastric epithelial AGS cells. We then demonstrated that pretreatment of cells with β-carotene significantly attenuates these effects. Our findings support the proposal that β-carotene has anti-cancer activity by reducing NADPH oxidase-mediated production of ROS, NF-κB activation and NF-κB-regulated TRAF1 and TRAF2 gene expression, and hyper-proliferation in AGS cells. We suggest that the consumption of β-carotene-enriched foods could decrease the incidence of H. pylori-associated gastric disorders.

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Effect of Astaxanthin on Activation of Autophagy and Inhibition of Apoptosis in Helicobacter pylori-Infected Gastric Epithelial Cell Line AGS

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12061750 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 1750 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Hanbit Lee ◽

Joo Weon Lim ◽

Hyeyoung Kim

Keyword(s):

Helicobacter Pylori ◽

Protein Kinase ◽

Epithelial Cell ◽

Cell Line ◽

Gastric Epithelial Cell ◽

Epithelial Cell Line ◽

Ags Cells ◽

Compound C ◽

H Pylori ◽

Induced Apoptosis

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection leads to the massive apoptosis of the gastric epithelial cells, causing gastric ulcers, gastritis, and gastric adenocarcinoma. Autophagy is a cellular recycling process that plays important roles in cell death decisions and can protect cells by preventing apoptosis. Upon the induction of autophagy, the level of the autophagy substrate p62 is reduced and the autophagy-related ratio of microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3B (LC3B)-II/LC3B-I is heightened. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) are involved in the regulation of autophagy. Astaxanthin (AST) is a potent anti-oxidant that plays anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer roles in various cells. In the present study, we examined whether AST inhibits H. pylori-induced apoptosis through AMPK-mediated autophagy in the human gastric epithelial cell line AGS (adenocarcinoma gastric) in vitro. In this study, H. pylori induced apoptosis. Compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, enhanced the H. pylori-induced apoptosis of AGS cells. In contrast, metformin, an AMPK activator, suppressed H. pylori-induced apoptosis, showing that AMPK activation inhibits H. pylori-induced apoptosis. AST inhibited H. pylori-induced apoptosis by increasing the phosphorylation of AMPK and decreasing the phosphorylation of RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (Akt) and mTOR in H. pylori-stimulated cells. The number of LC3B puncta in H. pylori-stimulated cells increased with AST. These results suggest that AST suppresses the H. pylori-induced apoptosis of AGS cells by inducing autophagy through the activation of AMPK and the downregulation of its downstream target, mTOR. In conclusion, AST may inhibit gastric diseases associated with H. pylori infection by increasing autophagy through the activation of the AMPK pathway.

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α-Lipoic Acid Inhibits IL-8 Expression by Activating Nrf2 Signaling in Helicobacter pylori-infected Gastric Epithelial Cells

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11102524 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 2524 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Seoyeon Kyung ◽

Joo Weon Lim ◽

Hyeyoung Kim

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Helicobacter Pylori ◽

Epithelial Cells ◽

Lipoic Acid ◽

Heme Oxygenase 1 ◽

Related Factor ◽

Gastric Epithelial Cells ◽

Gastric Diseases ◽

Ags Cells ◽

H Pylori

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) causes gastritis and gastric cancers. Oxidative stress is involved in the pathological mechanism of H. pylori-induced gastritis and gastric cancer induction. Therefore, reducing oxidative stress may be beneficial for preventing the development of H. pylori-associated gastric diseases. Nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a crucial regulator for the expression of antioxidant enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which protects cells from oxidative injury. α-Lipoic acid (α-LA), a naturally occurring dithiol, shows antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in various cells. In the present study, we examined the mechanism by which α-LA activates the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukine-8 (IL-8), and reduces reactive oxygen species (ROS) in H. pylori-infected AGS cells. α-LA increased the level of phosphorylated and nuclear-translocated Nrf2 by decreasing the amount of Nrf2 sequestered in the cytoplasm by complex formation with Kelch-like ECH1-associated protein 1 (KEAP 1). By using exogenous inhibitors targeting Nrf2 and HO-1, we showed that up-regulation of activated Nrf2 and of HO-1 results in the α-LA-induced suppression of interleukin 8 (IL-8) and ROS. Consumption of α-LA-rich foods may prevent the development of H. pylori-associated gastric diseases by decreasing ROS-mediated IL-8 expression in gastric epithelial cells.

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SUMOs Mediate the Nuclear Transfer of p38 and p-p38 during Helicobacter Pylori Infection

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms19092482 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 19 (9) ◽

pp. 2482 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Pin Wang ◽

Ping Hsu ◽

Deng Wu ◽

Te Chen ◽

Andrew Jarman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Helicobacter Pylori ◽

Nuclear Transfer ◽

Nuclear Translocation ◽

Mapk Signaling ◽

Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽

Nuclear Fraction ◽

Ags Cells ◽

Covalent Interaction ◽

H Pylori ◽

Nuclear Levels

The p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway has been suggested to play a significant role in the gastric mucosal inflammatory response to chronic Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Nuclear translocation is thought to be important for p38 function, but no nuclear translocation signals have been found in the protein and no nuclear carrier proteins have been identified for p38. We have investigated the role of small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) in the nuclear transfer of p38 in response to H. pylori infection. Exposure of human AGS cells to H. pylori induced the activation of p38 and the expression of SUMOs, especially SUMO-2. SUMO knockdown counteracted the effect of H. pylori infection by decreasing the resulting p38 mediated cellular apoptosis through a reduction in the nuclear fraction of phosphorylated p38. We identified a non-covalent interaction between SUMOs and p38 via SUMO interaction motifs (SIMs), and showed that SUMO-dependent nuclear transfer of p38 was decreased upon mutation of its SIMs. This study has identified a new pathway of p38 nuclear translocation, in response to H. pylori infection. We conclude that in the presence of H. pylori SUMO-2 has a major role in regulating nuclear levels of p38, through non-covalent SUMO-p38 interactions, independent of the p38 phosphorylation state.

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Host Wnt/β-catenin pathway triggered by Helicobacter pylori correlates with regression of gastric intestinal metaplasia after H. pylori eradication

Journal of Medical Microbiology ◽

10.1099/jmm.0.007310-0 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 58 (5) ◽

pp. 567-576 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Kuei-Hsiang Hung ◽

Jiunn-Jong Wu ◽

Hsiao-Bai Yang ◽

Li-Ju Su ◽

Bor-Shyang Sheu

Keyword(s):

Helicobacter Pylori ◽

Intestinal Metaplasia ◽

Glycogen Synthase ◽

Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽

Ags Cells ◽

Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia ◽

Before And After ◽

Cox 2 ◽

H Pylori ◽

High Level

Helicobacter pylori eradication can reverse gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM) in some but not all patients. H. pylori induces high levels of nuclear β-catenin staining in IM tissues, as well as overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). This study investigated whether the Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a role in IM regression following H. pylori eradication. Sixty-five H. pylori-infected patients with IM who had achieved successful H. pylori eradication provided paired gastric samples before and after eradication to analyse the persistence of IM, and to assess COX-2 and nuclear β-catenin expression. The host genotypes of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the COX-2, β-catenin (CTNNB1) and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) genes were analysed. In addition, expression of β-catenin, E-cadherin and phosphorylated and unphosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) in cell lines challenged with H. pylori isolates from patients with and without IM persistence was compared by immunoanalysis. After a mean 33.9-month follow-up after H. pylori eradication, 44 patients (67.7 %) with IM persistence had a higher rate of high-level nuclear β-catenin expression in IM tissue than those without IM persistence (P=0.008). The patients with IM persistence had a higher rate of AA, GG and AA APC SNP genotypes at positions 4479, 5268 and 5465, respectively, than the patients without IM persistence (P=0.022). The H. pylori isolates from the patients with IM regression after H. pylori eradication induced more phospho-GSK-3β in AGS cells than isolates from patients with IM persistence (P=0.011). It is likely that interactions with H. pylori and the patient's Wnt/β-catenin genetic predisposition determine the outcome of IM persistence following H. pylori eradication.

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Role of Interleukin-32 in Helicobacter pylori-Induced Gastric Inflammation

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.00637-12 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 80 (11) ◽

pp. 3795-3803 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Kosuke Sakitani ◽

Yoshihiro Hirata ◽

Yoku Hayakawa ◽

Takako Serizawa ◽

Wachiko Nakata ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gastric Cancer ◽

Helicobacter Pylori ◽

Gastric Mucosa ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Inflammatory Diseases ◽

Nuclear Factor Κb ◽

Gastric Disease ◽

Ags Cells ◽

Content Type ◽

H Pylori

ABSTRACTHelicobacter pyloriinfection is associated with gastritis and gastric cancer. AnH. pylorivirulence factor, thecagpathogenicity island (PAI), is related to host cell cytokine induction and gastric inflammation. Since elucidation of the mechanisms of inflammation is important for therapy, the associations between cytokines and inflammatory diseases have been investigated vigorously. Levels of interleukin-32 (IL-32), a recently described inflammatory cytokine, are increased in various inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease, and in malignancies, including gastric cancer. In this report, we examined IL-32 expression in human gastric disease. We also investigated the function of IL-32 in activation of the inflammatory cytokines in gastritis. IL-32 expression paralleled human gastric tissue pathology, with low IL-32 expression inH. pylori-uninfected gastric mucosa and higher expression levels in gastritis and gastric cancer tissues.H. pyloriinfection increased IL-32 expression in human gastric epithelial cell lines.H. pylori-induced IL-32 expression was dependent on the bacterialcagPAI genes and on activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). IL-32 expression induced byH. pyloriwas not detected in the supernatant of AGS cells but was found in the cytosol. Expression of theH. pylori-induced cytokines CXCL1, CXCL2, and IL-8 was decreased in IL-32-knockdown AGS cell lines compared to a control AGS cell line. We also found that NF-κB activation was decreased inH. pylori-infected IL-32-knockdown cells. These results suggest that IL-32 has important functions in the regulation of cytokine expression inH. pylori-infected gastric mucosa.

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