[afro-nets] Open Learning Web site on Enteric pathogens

["Salvatore Rubino" <rubino@uniss.it>]

Dear Friends of the Open Learning Web site on Enteric pathogens

A new lecture is available at site http://www.oloep.org

The current status of Helicobacter vaccines  influence of genomics and proteomics on identification of Helicobacter gene products as potential vaccine candidates

Jagusztyn-Krynicka E. K. (Poland)
Dept. of Bacterial Genetics
University of Warsaw

Helicobacter pylori has been an object of intense scientific studies, since its isolation from human stomach biopsies in 1983. At present, H. pylori is recognized as a causative agent of chronic inflammation, chronic gastritis and peptic ulceration, and is considered to be a risk factor in the development of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and adenocarcinoma of the stomach. The 2005 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to B. J. Marshall and J. B. Warren for their studies on ?the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and its role in gastritis and peptic ulcer diseases?.

This lecture gives information on the main achievements in construction efficacious and safe Helicobacter vaccine with regard to influence genomics and proteomics on this process. At the beginning it presents an overview of main H. pylori virulence factors such as various adhesins, urease which neutralizes the acidic environment of the stomach, CagA which influences the host cell signal-transduction pathways, VacA - a vacuolating toxin that also modulates the activity of immune cells and NapA ? a neutrophil-activating protein.

  Next I discuss the main issues concerning H. pylori vaccination still awaiting clarification. Among them the most important are decisions concerning protective antigen(s), the route of immunization, as well as the antigen delivery system. Then, the presentation outline several strategies employed for protective antigen selection concentrating mainly on new technology named immunoproteomics. The data concerning using both attenuated and commensal microorganisms as carriers for H. pylori antigens as well as pathogen DNA (DNA vaccine) are also discussed.  Finally the results of hitherto implemented human trails are presented.

ciao Salvatore Rubino

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Prof. Salvatore Rubino
Dip. di Scienze Biomediche
V.le San Pietro 43/b
07100 Sassari (Italy)
Tel: +33 79 228302
Fax: +33 79 212345
Cell: +33 83865292
email: mailto:rubino@uniss.it