The gastric microbial community, Helicobacter pylori colonization, and disease

Abstract

Long thought to be a sterile habitat, the stomach contains a diverse and unique community of bacteria. One particular inhabitant, Helicobacter pylori, colonizes half of the world’s human population and establishes a decades-long infection that can be asymptomatic, pathogenic, or even beneficial for the host. Many host and bacterial factors are known to influence an individual’s risk of gastric disease, but another potentially important determinant has recently come to light: the host microbiota. Although it is unclear to what extent H. pylori infection perturbs the established gastric microbial community, and H. pylori colonization seems generally resistant to disturbances in the host microbiota, it can modulate H. pylori pathogenicity. Interactions between H. pylori and bacteria at non-gastric sites are likely indirect—via programming of the pro-inflammatory vs. regulatory T lymphocytes—which may have a significant impact on human health.

Keywords: :

• Helicobacter pylori
• microbiota
• microbial community
• stomach
• disease
• rhesus monkey
• human
• mouse
• 16S rDNA

This article refers to:

10.4161/gmic.28573

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest

No potential conflict of interest was disclosed.

Acknowledgments

Work in the laboratory of J.V.S. is supported by Public Health Service Grants AI070803, AI081037, CA136647, and AI080788.