How H. pylori infection may cause stomach inflammation and early cancer changes
Investigating gastric inflammation and preneoplastic progression driven by Helicobacter pylori infection
This project looks at how H. pylori infection together with an activated cancer-related gene (KRAS) changes stomach cells toward precancerous and cancerous states, mainly using mouse models.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11257317 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are using a mouse model that mimics early stomach changes seen before cancer to understand how H. pylori infection makes those changes worse. They compare mice with and without H. pylori when a KRAS gene is turned on in stomach cells, and track inflammation, cell-type shifts, and markers linked to metaplasia and dysplasia. The team measures immune activity, such as T cell increases, and expression of genes like Muc4 to pinpoint molecular steps between chronic infection and cancer. Results could guide ways to detect or block the process earlier in people with chronic H. pylori infection.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with chronic H. pylori infection, gastric atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, or a family/history risk of gastric cancer would be most relevant to the questions this research addresses.
Not a fit: Patients without H. pylori infection, those with unrelated gastrointestinal conditions, or those seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to get direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal how infection-driven inflammation leads to stomach precancer changes and point to targets for prevention, earlier detection, or new therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has firmly linked H. pylori to chronic stomach inflammation and higher gastric cancer risk and has reproduced precancerous changes in mouse models, but combining H. pylori infection with activated KRAS to define the exact mechanisms is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
West Lafayette, United States
- Purdue University — West Lafayette, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'brien, Valerie Phoebe — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: O'brien, Valerie Phoebe
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.