Yonsei Med J.  2002 Jun;43(3):351-356. 10.3349/ymj.2002.43.3.351.

Diverse VacA Allelic Types of Helicobacter pylori in Korea and Clinical Correlation

• Choe YH
• Kim PS
• Lee DH
• Kim HK
• Kim YS
• Shin YW
• Hwang TS
• Kim HJ
• Song SU
• Choi MS

• KMID: 1105106
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2002.43.3.351

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori has a diversity of vacA allelic types. The purpose of this study was to correlate the vacA status and the clinical outcome. After constructing specific primers for the vacA signal sequence, H. pylori-positive antral biopsy specimens were examined for the vacA status in 25 gastric ulcers, 31 duodenal ulcers, 22 gastric cancers, 42 chronic gastritis, and 8 gastroduodenal ulcers. The relationship between the vacA allele and the clinical disease was examined. The vacA genotype s1c/m1 is predominant in Korea (71/128, 55.5%). Other strains including s1b or s2 were not found in this study. s1c/m1 was more prominent in duodenal ulcers, than in gastric ulcers (p=0.041) and cancer (p=0.029). Seven out of 8 patients with gastric and coexistent duodenal ulcers had the s1c/m1 allele. No statistical differences in the positive rates of the s1a/m1, s1a/m2, and s1c/m2 alleles among the disease groups were found. In conclusion, s1c/m1 is the main vacA allele in Korea and it is particularly associated with duodenal ulcers.

Keyword

Helicobacter pylori; vacA; allele; signal sequence; mid-region

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
*Alleles
Amino Acid Sequence/genetics
Bacterial Proteins/*genetics/metabolism
Child
Helicobacter Infections/physiopathology/virology
Helicobacter pylori/*genetics
Human
Korea
Middle Age
Molecular Sequence Data