Changes Associated With H. Pylori and Gastric Carcinogenesis

H. pylori infection is a prevalent environmental cause of gastric cancer. The molecular

mechanisms of carcinogenesis due to H. pylori remain unexplained and consequences of

infection are variable and unpredictable. The aim of this research is to examine the RNA

transcriptome of gastric cancer mucosa (gastric mucosa is the mucus membrane of the

stomach), in patients with H. pylori infection and examine the spectrum of disease

associated with infection. We will also examine bacterial content of samples to pinpoint

the specific H. pylori strain(s) and the stomach microbial profile to correlate with the

gastric mucosal transcriptome and predisposition of gastric cancer. Patients with prior

or current active H. pylori infection who are planning to under endoscopic evaluation

will be eligible for participation. From these patients, we plan to take up to four

additional biopsies from each area of stomach already being sampled.

The biopsies will be used for next-generation RNA and DNA sequencing and novel

bioinformatics analyses. The analysis will be performed at Weill Cornell Medical College

by Doron Betel, PhD. The sequencing will be performed in the Epigenetics Core laboratory

under the supervision of Doron Betel, who will be working closely with the principal

investigator, Manish A. Shah, M.D. Examination of the genetic impact of H. pylori

infection in patients may expose genetic factors that influence gastric cancer

carcinogenesis and give deeper insight into molecular pathways that serve as candidate

biomarkers for gastric cancer carcinogenesis. Our goal is to distinguish patients with

chronic H. pylori infection who are at risk of subsequently developing gastric cancer

from the vast majority of patients with H. pylori infection who do not develop

malignancy.