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Helicobacter pylori might contribute to cancer and/or bone marrow-derived stem cell-related gastrointestinal oncogenesis

Oncogene volume 34, page 670 (2015)Cite this article

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Bessède et al.1 concluded that infection with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) cagA-positive strain induces epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like changes and the emergence of CD44high cells with cancer stem cell (CSC) properties.

The markers of CSCs are similar to those of stem cells of normal tissues, such as the transmembrane adhesion molecule CD44, also a marker of stem hematopoietic, gastric and colon tumor cells.2 It is important to note that Hp infection (Hp-I) may be responsible directly or through inflammation for the increased CD44 expression observed in gastric cancer wherein the bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMDSCs) appear to participate in its development. Furthermore, glycoproteins CD44, normally expressed only in the crypts of the intestinal epithelium, are overexpressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) and their overexpression is an early event in the sequence adenoma–CRC development.2 In this regard, apart from upper gastrointestinal tract (U-GT), epidemiologic studies reported a serologic association between Hp-I and the risk of CRC.3 However, the serologic test does not discriminate between current and past infections and, apart from past infection that may even be more relevant for oncogenesis, such a distinction is essential because only current Hp-I induces humoral and cellular immune responses that induce or perpetuate chronic inflammatory processes in the GT with potential oncogenic sequelae. Many cancers, including CRCs, arise at the sites of chronic inflammation and infection.3

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References

  1. Bessède E, Staedel C, Acuña Amador LA, Nguyen PH, Chambonnier L, Hatakeyama M et al. Helicobacter pylori generates cells with cancer stem cell properties via epithelial–mesenchymal transition-like changes. Oncogene (e-pub ahead of print 7 October 2013; doi:10.1038/onc.2013.380).

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  2. Kapetanakis N, Kountouras J, Zavos C, Polyzos SA, Venizelos I, Nikolaidou C et al. Association of Helicobacter pylori infection with colorectal cancer. Immunogastroenterology 2013; 2: 47–56.

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  3. Kapetanakis N, Kountouras J, Zavos C, Michael S, Tsarouchas G, Gavalas E et al. Re: Helicobacter pylori infection and colorectal cancer risk: evidence from a large population-based case-control study in Germany. Am J Epidemiol 2012; 176: 566–567.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece

    J Kountouras, N Kapetanakis, C Zavos, S A Polyzos, I Romiopoulos, E Tsiaousi, K Anastasiadou, N Giorgakis, E Vardaka, C Nikolaidou, I Venizelos & P Katsinelos

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  1. J Kountouras
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  2. N Kapetanakis
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  3. C Zavos
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  4. S A Polyzos
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  11. I Venizelos
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  12. P Katsinelos
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Correspondence to J Kountouras.

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Kountouras, J., Kapetanakis, N., Zavos, C. et al. Helicobacter pylori might contribute to cancer and/or bone marrow-derived stem cell-related gastrointestinal oncogenesis. Oncogene 34, 670 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/onc.2013.602

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