<i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Virulence Factors—Mechanisms of Bacterial Pathogenicity in the Gastric Microenvironment
Jacek Baj,
Alicja Forma,
Monika Sitarz,
Piero Portincasa,
Gabriella Garruti,
Danuta Krasowska,
Ryszard Maciejewski
Affiliations
Jacek Baj
Department of Anatomy, Medical University of Lublin, 20-400 Lublin, Poland
Alicja Forma
Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
Monika Sitarz
Department of Conservative Dentistry with Endodontics, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland
Piero Portincasa
Clinica Medica “Augusto Murri”, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy
Gabriella Garruti
Section of Endocrinology, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantations, University of Bari “Aldo Moro” Medical School, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
Danuta Krasowska
Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Paediatric Dermatology of Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland
Ryszard Maciejewski
Department of Anatomy, Medical University of Lublin, 20-400 Lublin, Poland
Gastric cancer constitutes one of the most prevalent malignancies in both sexes; it is currently the fourth major cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The pathogenesis of gastric cancer is associated with the interaction between genetic and environmental factors, among which infection by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is of major importance. The invasion, survival, colonization, and stimulation of further inflammation within the gastric mucosa are possible due to several evasive mechanisms induced by the virulence factors that are expressed by the bacterium. The knowledge concerning the mechanisms of H. pylori pathogenicity is crucial to ameliorate eradication strategies preventing the possible induction of carcinogenesis. This review highlights the current state of knowledge and the most recent findings regarding H. pylori virulence factors and their relationship with gastric premalignant lesions and further carcinogenesis.
