Relationship between expression of HSP60, urease activity, production of vacuolating toxin, and adherence activity of Helicobacter pylori

The relationship between the expression of heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) of Helicobacter pylori on the bacterial surface and its pathogenic factors of urease activity, production of vacuolating toxin, and adherence to human g astric carcinoma cells was examined. There was no correlation between ureas e activity, production of vacuolating toxin, and the expression of HSP60. H owever, there was a significant correlation between the adherence activity to human gastric carcinoma MKN45 cells and the expression of HSP60 (correla tion coefficient; r = 0.68). In an inhibition assay with anti-HSP60 antibod y, we examined the adhesion of H. pylori to MKN45 cells. The adherence of 3 of 13 H. pylori strains was inhibited by anti-HSP60 antibody. The results suggest that H. pylori HSP60 may be associated with the adhesion of H. pylo ri to human gastric cells.