OBJECTIVE To identify serum biomarkers that may predict the short or long term outcomes of anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) treatment, a follow-up study was performed based on an intervention trial in Linqu County, China. METHODS A total of 529 subjects were selected randomly from 1,803 participants to evaluate total anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin G (IgG) and 10 specific antibody levels be...

Epitope-based vaccine is a promising strategy for therapeutic vaccination against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. A multivalent subunit vaccine containing various antigens from H. pylori is superior to a univalent subunit vaccine. However, whether a multivalent epitope-based vaccine is superior to a univalent epitope-based vaccine in therapeutic vaccination against H. pylori, remains...

Acute phase response is a stereotyped innate nonspecific reaction of the body proceeding specific immune reactions. It ́s a systemic homeostatic reaction of the organism to local and or systemic disturbances caused by infections, tissue injury, trauma, immunologic disorders and neoplasias (Ron D et al 1990, Trautwein C et al 1994, Gruys E et al 2005). Proinflammatory cytokines are released at th...

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a widespread human pathogen causing peptic ulcers and chronic gastritis. Maintaining nickel homeostasis is crucial for the establishment of H. pylori infection in humans. We used immobilized-nickel affinity chromatography to isolate Ni-related proteins from H. pylori cell extracts. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry were employed to sepa...

Background Certain studies suggest that percutaneous absorption of topical steroids may cause suppression of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients. This study aimed to investigate the basal serum cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and IgE levels in patients with AD and their correlation with the disease severity. Methods Levels of basal serum...

This study assessed stressor and menstrual phase effects on psychophysiological and neuroendocrine responses to laboratory stressors in freely cycling women (N=78, ages 18-45). Participants performed counterbalanced stressors [Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) or cold pressor test (CP)] during their follicular and luteal menstrual cycle phases between 1:00 and 3:00p.m. to control for ...

The outcome of H. pylori infection is closely related with bacteria's virulence factors and host immune response. The association between T cells and H. pylori infection has been identified, but the effects of the nine major H. pylori specific virulence factors; cagA, vacA, oipA, babA, hpaA, napA, dupA, ureA, ureB on T cell response in H. pylori infected patients have not been fully elucidated....

The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) is an effective psychosocial laboratory protocol for inducing stress in humans and has been used in numerous research studies. The stressor leads to a physiological response of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) and the autonomous nervous system (ANS). Common biomarkers are cortisol levels and heart rate. In addition to the physiological stress re...

Obesity and the metabolic syndrome are closely related and have become increasingly prevalent in Korea. The cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors comprising the metabolic syndrome have previously been associated with increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) activity, but the associations have not been extensively examined in non-Caucasian populations. The aim of the present stud...