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. 2009 Jan 14;15(2):204-10.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.204.

Prevalence of vacA, cagA and babA2 genes in Cuban Helicobacter pylori isolates

Lino E Torres  1 , Karelia Melián, Arlenis Moreno, Jordis Alonso, Carlos A Sabatier, Mayrín Hernández, Ludisleydis Bermúdez, Boris L Rodríguez
Affiliations

Prevalence of vacA, cagA and babA2 genes in Cuban Helicobacter pylori isolates

Lino E Torres et al. World J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the prevalence of vacuolating cytotoxin (vacA), cytotoxin associated gene A (cagA) and blood adhesion binding antigen (babA2) genotypes of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) isolates from Cuban dyspeptic patients.

Methods: DNA was extracted from H pylori-positive cultures taken from 130 dyspeptic patients. Genotyping was performed by PCR, using specific primers for vacA (s1, s2, m1, m2), cagA and babA2 genes. Endoscopic observations and histological examinations were used to determine patient pathologies.

Results: vacA alleles s1, s2, m1 and m2 were detected in 96 (73.8%), 34 (26.2%), 75 (57.7%) and 52 isolates (40%), respectively, while the cagA gene was detected in 95 isolates (73.2%). One hundred and seven isolates (82.3%) were babA2-positive. A significant correlation was observed between vacAs1m1 and cagA and between vacAs1m1 and babA2 genotypes (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively) and between babA2 genotype and cagA status (P < 0.05); but, no correlation was observed between vacAs1 and babA2 genotypes. Eighty five (65.4%) and 73 (56.2%) strains were type 1 (vacAs1-cagA-positive) and "triple-positive" (vacAs1-cagA-babA2-positive), respectively, and their presence was significantly associated with duodenal ulcer (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion: The distribution of the main virulence factors in the Cuban strains in this study resembled that of the Western-type strains, and the more virulent H pylori isolates were significantly associated with duodenal ulcer, ulcer disease being the worst pathology observed in the group studied.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Genotyping of main virulence factor genes in Cuban H pylori isolates. The images shown are from a representative gel electrophoresis of two independent PCR amplification products of vacA (s1, s2, m1, m2), cagA and babA2 genes from Cuban isolates and J99 control strain. A: Lanes 1 and 7, reference strain J99 (vacAs1 and m1 alleles, respectively); Lanes 2 and 6, vacAs1 strains; Lanes 3-5, vacAs2 strains; Lanes 8 and 10 vacAm2 strains; Lane 9, vacAm1 strain. B: Lanes 1 and 4, J99 strain (cagA and babA2 gene, respectively); Lanes 2 and 3, cagA-positive strains; Lanes 5 and 6 babA2-positive strains. MW: 100 bp DNA Ladder (Promega, USA).
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