Helicobacter pylori Immunology and Vaccines

Helicobacter pylori infection causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. Colonization of H. pylori in the stomach activates Toll-like and Nod-like receptors to induce not only innate immunity but also adaptive Th1 responses against this organism. Adaptive Th1 response is not sufficient to clear this organism and, as a result, the infection persists. Insufficient adaptive immunity can be explained by poor activation of Toll-like receptors, suppressive effects of bacterial factors, and induction of regulatory T-cell responses. Significant progress in the understanding of innate and adaptive immunity against H. pylori was made during the past year. Recent findings in the fields of vaccines for H. pylori are also reviewed.