Assays for Anti-Helicobacter pylori Effects of Lactic Acid Bacteria Secretions

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori (HP) is a chronic bacterial pathogen that can cause gastric ulcers and cancers. The treatment for HP infections relies on a combination of antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors. Due to rising antibiotic resistance, curtailing HP-induced diseases requires identifying new anti-HP molecules that can reduce HP viability or impair its virulence, including its ability to cause inflammation. Oral intake of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was shown to enhance the treatment of HP infection, and we demonstrated that LAB secretions can affect HP's growth and virulence factor production. This article describes a panel of in vitro assays that can be used to screen the anti-HP properties of multiple LAB secretions for the identification of novel anti-HP agents. The assays pertain to effects on viability, motility, urease production, and ability to elicit inflammation in gastric cells.

Keywords: Cytokines; Helicobacter pylori; Inflammation; Lactic acid bacteria; Urease.