AUTHOR=Orellana-Manzano Andrea , O'Ryan Miguel G. , Lagomarcino Anne J. , George Sergio , Muñoz Mindy S. , Mamani Nora , Serrano Carolina A. , Harris Paul R. , Ramilo Octavio , Mejías Asunción , Torres Juan P. , Lucero Yalda , Quest Andrew F. G. 

TITLE=Helicobacter pylori Infection Is Associated with Decreased Expression of SLC5A8, a Cancer Suppressor Gene, in Young Children

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2016.00121

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2016.00121

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold><italic>Helicobacter pylori</italic> infects half of the world's population and causes gastric cancer in a subset of infected adults. Previous blood microarray findings showed that apparently healthy children, persistently infected with <italic>H. pylori</italic> have differential gene expression compared to age-matched, non-infected children. SLC5A8, a cancer suppressor gene with decreased expression among infected children, was chosen for further study based on bioinformatics analysis.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> A pilot study was conducted using specific qRT-PCR amplification of SLC5A8 in blood samples from <italic>H. pylori</italic> infected and non-infected children, followed by a larger, blinded, case-control study. We then analyzed gastric tissue from <italic>H. pylori</italic> infected and non-infected children undergoing endoscopy for clinical purposes.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Demographics, clinical findings, and family history were similar between groups. SLC5A8 expression was decreased in infected vs. non-infected children in blood, 0.12 (IQR: 0–0.89) vs. 1.86 (IQR: 0–8.94, <italic>P</italic> = 0.002), and in gastric tissue, 0.08 (IQR: 0.04–0.15) vs. 1.88 (IQR: 0.55–2.56; <italic>P</italic> = 0.001). Children who were both stool positive and seropositive for <italic>H. pylori</italic> had the lowest SLC5A8 expression levels.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold><italic>H. pylori</italic> infection is associated with suppression of SCL5A8, a cancer suppressor gene, in both blood and tissue samples from young children.</p><p><bold>Key Points:</bold> Young children, persistently infected with <italic>Helicobacter pylori</italic> show decreased expression of SLC5A8 mRNA in both blood and tissue samples as compared to non-infected children.</p>