“…While many virulence factors of H. pylori have been described, the CagA (cytotoxin-associated gene A) toxin, which is translocated into gastric epithelial cells via a bacterial secretion system, appears to be the most specific for the development of a pathological phenotype. Infection with H. pylori , a potent activator of NF-κB in gastric epithelial cells, increases CCL5 [ 47 , 81 , 82 , 83 ] and induces the expression of a variety of genes, including IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, VEGF, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cell cycle regulators, the matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, and also adhesion molecules [ 82 , 84 ].…”