Induces Immunity Against H. Pylori Infection That Leads to Gastric Cancer and Ulcers in Humans
This developing vaccine against H. pylori bacteria will inhibit infection and reduce incidence of gastric ulcers and stomach cancer. This will be the first effective vaccine for use against H. pylori. In addition, the vaccine will be administered orally.
Researchers at the University of Florida are developing a vaccine against infection by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, a leading cause of stomach cancer, peptic ulcer disease, and stomach inflammation in humans. H. pylori infection of the stomach is found in about half of people worldwide and is responsible for 60 percent of stomach cancer cases . Currently, no effective vaccine against H. pylori is available and antibiotic treatment for gastric ulcers is often ineffective due to the increasing incidence of antibiotic resistance.
Application
Therapeutic, orally administered vaccine against H. pylori infection, a leading cause of gastric ulcers and stomach cancer in humans
Advantages
- Prevents infection by H. pylori, potentially decreasing rates of stomach cancer, ulcers, gastritis, and other illnesses
- Vaccine is delivered orally, allowing for easier administration to patients
- Induces mucosal immunity, effectively targeting H. pylori bacteria that mostly reside on mucosal surfaces
Technology
The orally administered vaccine employs an attenuated Salmonella strain as a vector that expresses H. pylori surface antigens to induce mucosal, cellular, and systemic immunity against the bacterium. The vaccine preferentially induces an immune response on mucosal surfaces such as the lining of the stomach, which H. pylori colonizes. Injectable vaccines are not able to induce such mucosal immunity, making this orally administered vaccine a more effective alternative for preventing and perhaps treating H. pylori infection. Although not yet tested in human subjects, oral delivery of this vaccine to mice conferred protection against H. pylori infection.
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