Open AccessExperimental colonization of mice by fresh clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori is not influenced by the cagA status and the vacA genotype
Author(s) -
Ayraud Sarah,
Janvier Blandine,
Fauchère JeanLouis
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2002.tb00620.x
Subject(s) - caga , virulence , biology , genotype , microbiology and biotechnology , helicobacter pylori , colonization , spirillaceae , inoculation , helicobacter , virology , gastritis , gene , immunology , genetics
Developing murine models of infection by Helicobacter pylori is quite useful but not all the strains are able to colonize the mouse. In order to study the influence of the two main virulence factors, CagA and VacA, on the establishment of H. pylori in mice, we have inoculated C57BL/6 mice with 15 strains randomly chosen among clinical strains freshly isolated from biopsy specimens of infected patients and five reference strains. Only six of the clinical strains and two of the reference strains could infect the animals regardless of the cagA status and the vacA genotype. We concluded that 40% of the H. pylori strains are able to infect mice and that the capacity of colonization is not influenced by the cagA status and the vacA genotype. These factors cannot be used to predict the success of an experimental infection.