Detoxification of the Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Manetti, R; Massari, P; Marchetti, M; Magagnoli, C; Nuti, S; Lupetti, P; Ghiara, P; Rappuoli, R; Telford, J L
- Source
- Infection and Immunity; November 1997, Vol. 65 Issue: 11 p4615-9, 5p
- Subject
- Language
- ISSN
- 00199567; 10985522
Treatment of the Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin with very low concentrations of formaldehyde resulted in abrogation of toxic activity in both a HeLa cell vacuolation assay and an in vivo assay of gastric epithelial damage. Detoxification had only a minimal effect on the integrity of the oligomeric or monomeric structure. The toxoid retained the ability to bind to target cells and to induce high-titer neutralizing antibodies after immunization of rabbits. Furthermore, oral immunization of mice with the toxoid resulted in protection against infective challenge with mouse-adapted strains of H. pylori. The sensitivity of the toxin to formaldehyde treatment suggests that a few lysine residues in the protein may be essential for toxic activity and that VacA detoxified in this manner may be a potential candidate for inclusion in a vaccine against H. pylori infection and disease.