The Gastric Microbiota Invade the Lamina Propria in Helicobacter pylori-Associated Gastritis and Precancer

Background: Stomach cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Helicobacter pylori is the main risk factor for gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC), yet the precise mechanism underpinning this association remains controversial. Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) represents the precancerous stage and follows H. pylori-associated chronic gastritis (CG). Sequencing studies have revealed fewer H. pylori and more non-H. pylori bacteria in GAC. However, the spatial organization of the gastric microbiota in health and disease is unknown.

Materials and Methods: Here, we have combined RNA in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry to detect H. pylori, non-H. pylori bacteria, and host cell markers (E-cadherin, Mucins 5AC and 2) on tissue sections from patients with CG (n = 15) and GIM (n = 17).

Results: Quantitative analysis of whole slide scans revealed significant correlations of H. pylori and other bacteria in CG and GIM. In contrast to sequencing studies, significantly fewer non-H. pylori bacteria were detected in H. pylori-negative patients. Importantly, whilst H. pylori exclusively colonized the gastric glands, non-H. pylori bacteria invaded the lamina propria in 6/9 CG and 8/10 GIM H. pylori-positive patients. A rapid and cost-effective modified Gram stain was used to confirm these findings and enabled detection of non-H. pylori bacteria in GIM samples.

Conclusions: The invasion of the gastric lamina propria by non-H. pylori bacteria during H. pylori-associated CG and GIM represents an overlooked phenomenon in cancer progression. Further work must determine the mechanisms underlying the synergistic roles of H. pylori and other bacteria in carcinogenesis. This observation should redirect attempts to prevent, diagnose, and treat GAC.