Oral immunization with Helicobacter pylori urease B subunit as a treatment against Helicobacter infection in mice.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Eradication of Helicobacter pylori infections in humans results in the healing of gastritis and gastric ulcers. This study used a mouse model to test whether oral vaccination can cure Helicobacter infection and gastritis.

METHODS

Mice were infected with Helicobacter felis. Three weeks after infection, the mice were orally immunized with H. pylori urease B subunit. Control mice were simultaneously infected but sham immunized.

RESULTS

Three to 8 weeks after oral immunization of H. felis-infected mice with recombinant H. pylori urease B subunit, the infection cleared and there was no evidence of gastritis. Vaccinated mice remained protected against two consecutive H. felis challenges.

CONCLUSIONS

These results show that the lack of natural immunity against Helicobacter can be overcome by oral immunization and that vaccination offers a novel therapeutic approach to Helicobacter-induced gastritis.