Effect of an aluminum hydroxide-magnesium hydroxide combination drug on adhesion, IL-8 inducibility, and expression of HSP60 by Helicobacter pylori

Background: Co-magaldrox (Maalox(R)) is used world-wide as an antacid and a s a cytoprotective agent for gastritis and peptic ulcer diseases. We examin ed the effects of co-magaldrox on Helicobacter pylori. Methods: Adhesion of H, pylori to human gastric epithelial cells (MKN45) was evaluated by flow cytometry. Morphologic changes in H. pylori caused by co-magaldrox were det ermined by scanning electron microscopy. Induction of interleukin-8 (IL-8) from MKN45 cells was examined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and t he intracellular and extracellular expression of heat-shock protein 60 (HSP 60) was analyzed with sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electropho resis and flow cytometry. Results: Adhesion of H. pylori to MKN 45 cells wa s significantly inhibited by 1.25%-5% co-magaldrox. H. pylori aggregated wi th co-magaldrox according to an electron microscopic examination. IL-8 secr etion from MKN45 cells after H. pylori infection was also inhibited by co-m agaldrox. Extracellular expression of HSP60 on the surface of H. pylori was decreased after treatment with co-magaldrox, whereas the intracellular syn thesis of HSP60 was not. HSP60-induced IL-8 secretion was significantly inh ibited by co-magaldrox in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions: These resul ts show that co-magaldrox suppressed the expression of the following virule nce factors: adhesion, IL-8 inducibility, and expression of extracellular H SP60. Therefore, co-magaldrox is a potent anti-H. pylori and cytoprotective drug.