Portal hypertension aggravates Helicobacter pylori induced liver injury in mice via activating pyroptosis pathway

Abstract In recent years, it has been discovered that the pathogenic effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is not only limited to the gastroduodenal region, but also plays a certain role in the occurrence and development of liver diseases. The aim of this study is to ascertain the existence of H...

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Main Authors: JiKe Hu, Lei Gao, Ewetse Paul Maswikiti, Xuemei Li, Baohong Gu, Yang Yu, Haiyuan Li, Hao Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96132-1
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author JiKe Hu
Lei Gao
Ewetse Paul Maswikiti
Xuemei Li
Baohong Gu
Yang Yu
Haiyuan Li
Hao Chen
author_facet JiKe Hu
Lei Gao
Ewetse Paul Maswikiti
Xuemei Li
Baohong Gu
Yang Yu
Haiyuan Li
Hao Chen
author_sort JiKe Hu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In recent years, it has been discovered that the pathogenic effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is not only limited to the gastroduodenal region, but also plays a certain role in the occurrence and development of liver diseases. The aim of this study is to ascertain the existence of Helicobacter pylori translocation, investigate whether it leads to liver injury and its potential mechanism and examine whether portal hypertension exacerbates liver damage caused by H. pylori translocation. Twenty four male SPF C57BL/6J mice were divided into four groups (6 in each group): (1) control group (Normal); (2) portal hypertension group (PHT); (3) H. pylori infected group (Hp); (4) H. pylori and Portal hypertension group (Hp and PHT). The histopathological changes of the liver and gastric tissues were measured by HE staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC); ALT, AST, IL-6 and INF-γ was measured by ELISA; Western blot detected the expression of pyroptotic proteins in the liver. The pro-inflammatory mediators and liver function indexes of mice in Hp group, Hp and PHT group were higher than those in the normal and PHT group. In addition, the liver inflammatory cell infiltration and ballooning of the two groups of mice were more severe than those in the normal group and PHT group, Hp and PHT group were more severe; Hp group, Hp and PHT group mice liver tissues activated the pyroptotic process through NLRP3 inflammasome, which eventually led to cell damage. Post mice infection by H. pylori, H. pylori will translocate to the liver, and induce liver injury by aggravating inflammation and promoting pyroptosis. Moreover, when portal hypertension occurs, it promotes the displacement of H. pylori, thereby aggravating liver injury.
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spelling doaj-art-82089600f2b14e88b253ec25dce0a7af2025-08-20T02:11:46ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-96132-1Portal hypertension aggravates Helicobacter pylori induced liver injury in mice via activating pyroptosis pathwayJiKe Hu0Lei Gao1Ewetse Paul Maswikiti2Xuemei Li3Baohong Gu4Yang Yu5Haiyuan Li6Hao Chen7The Second Hospital and Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou UniversityThe Second Hospital and Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou UniversityThe Second Hospital and Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou UniversityThe Second Hospital and Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou UniversityThe Second Hospital and Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou UniversityThe Second Hospital and Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou UniversityThe Second Hospital and Clinical Medical School, Lanzhou UniversityDepartment of Surgical Oncology, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou UniversityAbstract In recent years, it has been discovered that the pathogenic effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is not only limited to the gastroduodenal region, but also plays a certain role in the occurrence and development of liver diseases. The aim of this study is to ascertain the existence of Helicobacter pylori translocation, investigate whether it leads to liver injury and its potential mechanism and examine whether portal hypertension exacerbates liver damage caused by H. pylori translocation. Twenty four male SPF C57BL/6J mice were divided into four groups (6 in each group): (1) control group (Normal); (2) portal hypertension group (PHT); (3) H. pylori infected group (Hp); (4) H. pylori and Portal hypertension group (Hp and PHT). The histopathological changes of the liver and gastric tissues were measured by HE staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC); ALT, AST, IL-6 and INF-γ was measured by ELISA; Western blot detected the expression of pyroptotic proteins in the liver. The pro-inflammatory mediators and liver function indexes of mice in Hp group, Hp and PHT group were higher than those in the normal and PHT group. In addition, the liver inflammatory cell infiltration and ballooning of the two groups of mice were more severe than those in the normal group and PHT group, Hp and PHT group were more severe; Hp group, Hp and PHT group mice liver tissues activated the pyroptotic process through NLRP3 inflammasome, which eventually led to cell damage. Post mice infection by H. pylori, H. pylori will translocate to the liver, and induce liver injury by aggravating inflammation and promoting pyroptosis. Moreover, when portal hypertension occurs, it promotes the displacement of H. pylori, thereby aggravating liver injury.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96132-1Helicobacter pyloriPortal hypertensionPyroptosisNLRP3Liver injury
spellingShingle JiKe Hu
Lei Gao
Ewetse Paul Maswikiti
Xuemei Li
Baohong Gu
Yang Yu
Haiyuan Li
Hao Chen
Portal hypertension aggravates Helicobacter pylori induced liver injury in mice via activating pyroptosis pathway
Scientific Reports
Helicobacter pylori
Portal hypertension
Pyroptosis
NLRP3
Liver injury
title Portal hypertension aggravates Helicobacter pylori induced liver injury in mice via activating pyroptosis pathway
title_full Portal hypertension aggravates Helicobacter pylori induced liver injury in mice via activating pyroptosis pathway
title_fullStr Portal hypertension aggravates Helicobacter pylori induced liver injury in mice via activating pyroptosis pathway
title_full_unstemmed Portal hypertension aggravates Helicobacter pylori induced liver injury in mice via activating pyroptosis pathway
title_short Portal hypertension aggravates Helicobacter pylori induced liver injury in mice via activating pyroptosis pathway
title_sort portal hypertension aggravates helicobacter pylori induced liver injury in mice via activating pyroptosis pathway
topic Helicobacter pylori
Portal hypertension
Pyroptosis
NLRP3
Liver injury
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96132-1
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