Immunoblot analysis of immune response to cell surface antigens of different Helicobacter pylori strains.

Infection with H. pylori has been strongly associated with chronic type B gastritis and peptic ulcer disease, although pathogenic mechanisms of H. pylori infection are still unclear. We examined the structure and antigenicity of water extract of 5 H. pylori strains and immunoblotting with homologous immune rabbit serum. All the tested rabbit sera recognized the protein component between 31-66 kD. The 31-66 kD protein bands are highly specific for H. pylori. Only strain isolated from patients with gastric or duodenal ulcer disease gave visible bands with the major proteins 98, 116 kD.