Affiliations: Division of Pulmonology, Department of Pediatrics,
University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA | Division of Gastroenterology, Department of
Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. Erik P. Lillehoj, Division of
Pulmonology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of
Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Room 13-037, Baltimore, MD, USA. Tel.: +1
410 706 3872; Fax: +1 410 706 0020; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: More than half of the world's population is infected with
Helicobacter pylori, which is strongly linked to the development of chronic
gastric inflammation (gastritis), peptic ulcer disease, and stomach cancer.
However, for unknown reasons, the vast majority of infected individuals are
asymptomatic beyond histologic inflammation. This review article will summarize
current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of H. pylori colonization
of the gastric mucosa, with a particular focus on the biochemistry of MUC1
mucin in the host response to bacterial infection.
