Search

The gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori utilize glucose during metabolism, but the underlying mechanisms linking to oxygen-18 ((18)O) and carbon-13 ((13)C)-isotopic fractionations of breath CO2 during glucose metabolism are poorly understood. Using the excretion dynamics of (18)O/(16)O and (13)C/(12)C-isotope ratios of breath CO2, we found that individuals with Helicobacter pylori infections exhibited significantly higher isotopic enrichments of (18)O in breath CO2 during the 2h-glucose metabolism regardless of the isotopic nature of the substrate, while no significant enrichments of (18)O in breath CO2 were manifested in individuals without the infections. In contrast, the (13)C-isotopic enrichments of breath CO2 were significantly higher in individuals with Helicobacter pylori compared to individuals without infections in response to (13)C-enriched glucose uptake, whereas a distinguishable change of breath (13)C/(12)C-isotope ratios was also evident when Helicobacter pylori utilize natural glucose. Moreover, monitoring the (18)O and (13)C-isotopic exchange in breath CO2 successfully diagnosed the eradications of Helicobacter pylori infections following a standard therapy. Our findings suggest that breath (12)C(18)O(16)O and (13)C(16)O(16)O can be used as potential molecular biomarkers to distinctively track the pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori and also for eradication purposes and thus may open new perspectives into the pathogen's physiology along with isotope-specific non-invasive diagnosis of the infection.

We report for the first time the excretion kinetics of the percentage dose of (13)C recovered/h ((13)C-PDR %/h) and cumulative PDR, i.e. c-PDR (%) to accomplish the highest diagnostic accuracy of the (13)C-urea breath test ((13)C-UBT) for the detection of Helicobacter pylori infection without any risk of diagnostic errors using an optical cavity-enhanced integrated cavity output spectroscopy (ICOS) method. An optimal diagnostic cut-off point for the presence of H. pylori infection was determined to be c-PDR (%) = 1.47 % at 60 min, using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis to overcome the "grey zone" containing false-positive and false-negative results of the (13)C-UBT. The present (13)C-UBT exhibited 100 % diagnostic sensitivity (true-positive rate) and 100 % specificity (true-negative rate) with an accuracy of 100 % compared with invasive endoscopy and biopsy tests. Our c-PDR (%) methodology also manifested both diagnostic positive and negative predictive values of 100 %, demonstrating excellent diagnostic accuracy. We also observed that the effect of endogenous CO2 production related to basal metabolic rates in individuals was statistically insignificant (p = 0.78) on the diagnostic accuracy. However, the presence of H. pylori infection was indicated by the profound effect of urea hydrolysis rate (UHR). Our findings suggest that the current c-PDR (%) is a valid and sufficiently robust novel approach for an accurate, specific, fast and noninvasive diagnosis of H. pylori infection, which could routinely be used for large-scale screening purposes and diagnostic assessment, i.e. for early detection and follow-up of patients.

The gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori utilize glucose during metabolism, but the underlying mechanisms linking to oxygen-18 (18O) and carbon-13 (13C)-isotopic fractionations of breath CO2 during glucose metabolism are poorly understood. Using the excretion dynamics of 18O/16O and 13C/12C-isotope ratios of breath CO2, we found that individuals with Helicobacter pylori infections exhibited significantly higher isotopic enrichments of 18O in breath CO2 during the 2h-glucose metabolism regardless of the isotopic nature of the substrate, while no significant enrichments of 18O in breath CO2 were manifested in individuals without the infections. In contrast, the 13C-isotopic enrichments of breath CO2 were significantly higher in individuals with Helicobacter pylori compared to individuals without infections in response to 13C-enriched glucose uptake, whereas a distinguishable change of breath 13C/12C-isotope ratios was also evident when Helicobacter pylori utilize natural glucose. Moreover, monitoring the 18O and 13C-isotopic exchange in breath CO2 successfully diagnosed the eradications of Helicobacter pylori infections following a standard therapy. Our findings suggest that breath 12C18O16O and 13C16O16O can be used as potential molecular biomarkers to distinctively track the pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori and also for eradication purposes and thus may open new perspectives into the pathogen's physiology along with isotope-specific non-invasive diagnosis of the infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Isotope-specific coordination of the urease enzyme with the urea substrate. • Impact of isotopic signatures of bicarbonate ion on urease-catalysed urea hydrolysis. • Identification of the form of bicarbonate playing active role by pH dependent study. • Influence of isotopic CO 2 on urease activity of H. Pylori in in-vivo conditions. • Improvement in the diagnostic sensitivity of breath test for H. pylori detection. Abstract The active Ni(II) centre of metalloenzyme urease forms a coordination with substrate urea prior to the hydrolysis of urea. The present study provided the direct experimental evidences of isotope preferential coordination between Ni(II) metal centre of urease enzyme and substrate urea, which eventually alters the product yield. Furthermore, in-vitro experiments revealed that the specific 12CO 2 isotopic species bridges between heavier isotope of substrate urea [13CO(NH 2) 2 ] and Ni(II) centre of urease for more effective coordination, which ultimately enhances the yield of the reaction. Finally, the in-vitro observations have been validated under in-vivo physiological conditions exploiting the urease activity of the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori present in human stomach. Hence, the present study paves the way for better understanding of the isotope-selective catalytic activity of urease enzyme and exemplifies the link between 12CO 2 and urease enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori utilize glucose during metabolism, but the underlying mechanisms linking to oxygen-18 (18O) and carbon-13 (13C)-isotopic fractionations of breath CO2 during glucose metabolism are poorly understood. Using the excretion dynamics of 18O/16O and 13C/12C-isotope ratios of breath CO2, we found that individuals with Helicobacter pylori infections exhibited significantly higher isotopic enrichments of 18O in breath CO2 during the 2h-glucose metabolism regardless of the isotopic nature of the substrate, while no significant enrichments of 18O in breath CO2 were manifested in individuals without the infections. In contrast, the 13C-isotopic enrichments of breath CO2 were significantly higher in individuals with Helicobacter pylori compared to individuals without infections in response to 13C-enriched glucose uptake, whereas a distinguishable change of breath 13C/12C-isotope ratios was also evident when Helicobacter pylori utilize natural glucose. Moreover, monitoring the 18O and 13C-isotopic exchange in breath CO2 successfully diagnosed the eradications of Helicobacter pylori infections following a standard therapy. Our findings suggest that breath 12C18O16O and 13C16O16O can be used as potential molecular biomarkers to distinctively track the pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori and also for eradication purposes and thus may open new perspectives into the pathogen's physiology along with isotope-specific non-invasive diagnosis of the infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]