ABSTRACT
Objective To determine the effect of different types of Helicobacter pylori(H, pylori) on the gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) in GES-1 cells, and investigate the types of H. pylorirelated to the dysfunction of GJIC. Methods Different types of H. pylori clinical strains were isolated and cultured, including the East Asian CagA-positive H. pylori( East Asian CagA +H. pylorl), Western CagA-positive H. pylori( Western CagA +H. pylori), and the CagA-negative H. pylori (CagA-H. pylori). We co-cultured these H. pyloristrains with GES-1 cells for 24 and 48h, respectively. The control group was cultured without any H. pylorifor 24 and 48 h. Change of the GJIC function in GES-1 cells was detected by the scrape-loading dye transfer (SLDT) technique. The cell proliferation of each group was examined by the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Results The control group showed better GJIC function in the GES-1 cells, and the fluorescent dye migrated 4 - 5 rows to the adjacent cells at 24 and 48 h. Compared with the control group, the GJIC function of GES-1 cells in the CagA - H. pylori group decreased and the fluorescent dye migrated 3 rows to the adjacent cells. Compared with the control group and the CagA- H. pylori group, the GJIC function of GES-1 cells in the Western CagA + H. pylori group decreased and the fluorescent dye migrated 1 - 2 rows to the adjacent cells. The East Asian CagA * H. pylori group showed no GJIC function or weak GJIC function, and most of the fluorescent dye was confined to the area of scratched single row cells and only a few migrated 1 -2 rows to the adjacent cells. Difference in the cell proliferation between the CagA - H. pylorigroup and the control group was not significant. The cell proliferation of the Western CagA + H. pylori group and the East Asian CagA + H. pylori group at bacterium-to-cell ratio of 100:1 and 200:1 was higher than that of the control group. The cell proliferation of the East Asian CagA +H. pylori group at bacterium-to-cell ratio of 400:1 was significantly lower than that of the control group at 48 h. Conclusion H. pylorican inhibit the GJIC function in GES-1 cells, which may be associated with CagA +H. pylori, especially with East Asian CagA +H. pylori. The effect of H. pylori on the proliferation of GES-I cells is related to virulence factor CagA.