Motility of Helicobacter pylori in a viscous environment

Background Patients with gastroduodenal disease produce gastric mucus of hi gher viscosity, and mucins that are of a smaller size, than normal. We have modelled these changes to the mucus layer in solutions of methylcellulose, and measured bacterial motility in biopsied mucus, to assess how they migh t influence the movements of Helicobacter pylori, Methods Motilities of Helicobacter pylori were measured in solutions of met hylcellulose with molecular mass of 14 and 41 kDa, and in biopsied mucus wi th a Hobson BacTracker. Four parameters of bacterial motility were quantifi ed: curvilinear velocity (CLV), path length, track linearity and curvature rate. Results All H. pylori were motile in methylcellulose solutions, and had opt imal motilities at a viscosity of 3 cp (CLV in methylcellulose of 41 kDa, f or instance, was 33 +/- 1,4 mu m/s (mean +/- SEM) and the path length in me thylcellulose of 41 kDa was 22.4 +/- 2 mu m). At higher viscosities, mean C LVs, path lengths and curvature rates decreased, and track linearities incr eased in direct proportion to the increase in methylcellulose viscosity. Ba cteria become non-motile at a viscosity of 50 cp in methylcellulose of 14 k Da, and at 70 cp in methylcellulose of 41 kDa, Mean CLVs, path lengths and curvature rates (but not track linearities) were greater in methylcellulose of 41 kDa than in methylcellulose of 14 kDa at each viscosity tested. Moti lities of H. pylori from patients with duodenal ulcer or non-ulcer dyspepsi a in methylcellulose solutions were not significantly different. H. pylori had poor motility in biopsied mucus, but became highly motile when biopsied mucus was diluted with saline. Conclusions The viscosity-motility profiles of H. pylori in methylcellulose and the motilities of H. pylori in biopsied mucus suggest (1) that H. pylo ri may have poor motility in mucus at the epithelial surface, but high moti lity at the luminal surface of the mucus layer, and (2) that the increased mucus viscosity and decreased mucin size in patients with gastroduodenal di sease act in combination to decrease H. pylori motility in vivo. Eur J Gast roenterol Hepatol 11:1143-1150 (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.