Higher glucose level can enhance the H. pylori adhesion and virulence related with type IV secretion system in AGS cells

Background: hyperglycemia increases the risk of gastric cancer in h. pylori-infected patients. high glucose could increase endothelial permeability and cancer-associated signaling. these suggest high glucose may affect h. pylori or its infected status. we used two strains to investigate whether h. pylori growth,viability,adhesion and caga-phosphorylation level in the infected-ags cells were influenced by glucose concentration (100,150,and 200 mg/dl).results: the growth curves of both strains in 200 mg/dl of glucose were maintained at the highest optimal density after 48 h and the best viability of both strains were retained in the same glucose condition at 72 h. furthermore,adhesion enhancement of h. pylori was significantly higher in 200 mg/dl of glucose as compared to that in 100 and 150 mg/dl (p < 0.05). caga protein also increased in higher glucose condition. the cell-associated caga and phosphorylated-caga was significantly increased in 150 and 200 mg/dl of glucose concentrations as compared to that of 100 mg/dl (p < 0.05),which were found to be dose-dependent.conclusion: higher glucose could maintain h. pylori growth and viability after 48 h. h. pylori adhesion and caga increased to further facilitate the enhancement of cell-associated caga and phosphorylated caga in higher glucose conditions. © 2014 sheu et al.; licensee biomed central ltd.