Project 464446

Helicobacter pylori (HP) colonizes chronically ~50% of the world's population, causing gastric tissue inflammation and gastric ulcers or cancers. In light of rising antibiotic resistance, curtailing these diseases requires identifying new anti-HP molecules. Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) have probiotic effects against HP, meaning that they help alleviate symptoms and suggesting that they could be a source of new bioactive molecules against HP infection and disease. These LAB are able to produce and secrete (i.e. release) molecules in the growth media. We found 18 LAB that secrete molecules that inhibit the growth of HP and abrogate features essential for gastric colonization by HP. The LAB secretions also decrease HP's ability to cause inflammation in human gastric cells. We are now focusing on better characterizing the active molecules which is important to develop them into therapeutic agents. We also aim at understanding the mechanisms of action involved, a necessity to harness the potential of these secretions as novel alternatives or complements to current antibiotics or as novel anti-inflammatory agents that can be used to fight HP infections and mitigate the associated disease. This work will eventually benefit ~6 million new gastric ulcers or cancers patients per year worldwide and will alleviate the economic burden of health care costs associated with these diseases.