Helicobacter pylori Induces Expression and Secretion of Oncostatin M in Macrophages In Vitro

Helicobacter pylori is pathogenic bacterium that is associated with several gastric diseases in humans. Disease is characterized by severe inflammatory responses is the stomach that are induced by various chemokines and cytokines. Previous reports indicated that some of these responses are mediated through Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling. We performed JAK/STAT specific microarrays to identify new components of this signaling pathway, which are affected by Helicobacter pylori infection of THP-1 cells. We found that expression and secretion of oncostatin M and of its receptor were strongly up-regulated by Helicobacter pylori. OSM secretion was independent of CagA, VacA or Type IV secretion system. Helicobacter pylori culture supernatant induced OSM secretion. The induction of the pleiotropic cytokine oncostatin M suggests a possible role in Helicobacter pylori-mediated inflammation and diseases.