Sulglycotide Effect on the Proteolytic and Lipolytic Activities of Helicobacter pylori toward Gastric Mucus

Objectives: Infection with Helicobacter pylori is now recognized as a major factor in the etiology of gastric disease, and among the detrimental efTects this bacterium exerts on the mucosal integrity is the elaboration of extracellular protease and lipase enzymes capable of mucus protein and lipids degradation. We present here evidence that the activities of these enzymes are inhibited by an gastroprotective agent, suiglycotide. Methods: The grown colonies of bacterium were washed witb saline, filtered through sterilization filter, and tbe filtrate used as the enzyme source. Results: In the absence of suiglycotide, the H. pylori protease caused extensive degradation of human gastric mucus, wbile free fatty acids, glycerol monooleate and lysopbosphatidylcholine were produced by the action of H. pylori lipase and phospholipase A enzymes. Introduction of suiglycotide to the incubation systems led to the reduction in the rate of mucus protein and lipid degradation. Tbe rate of proteolysis inbibition was proportional to suiglycotide concentration up to 45 μg/ml, at which point a 43% reduction in mucus degradation was attained, whereas the maximum inhibition of lipase (39%) and phospbo‐ Upase A (98%) activities occurred at a suiglycotide concentration of IOO fxg/ml. Conclusions: This study indicates that suiglycotide is capable of counteracting the mucolytic activity of H. pylori and tbus may be of value in tbe therapy of H. pylori‐associated gastric diseases.