Candida-mediated vertical transmission of Helicobacter pylori in C57BL/6J mice

doi:10.3748/wjg.v32.i7.115143

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World Journal of Gastroenterology

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1007-9327

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World J Gastroenterol. Feb 21, 2026; 32(7): 115143
Published online Feb 21, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v32.i7.115143

Candida-mediated vertical transmission of Helicobacter pylori in C57BL/6J mice

Xiao-Li Xu, Ting-Ting Luo, Qi Liu, Gu-Zhen Cui, Dao-Yan Wu, Xiao-Juan Wu, Ting-Xiu Yang, Jian-Chao Sun, Hui-Feng Jian, Shu-Wei Zhuo, Zheng-Hong Chen

Xiao-Li Xu, Ting-Ting Luo, Qi Liu, Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China

Xiao-Li Xu, Ting-Ting Luo, Gu-Zhen Cui, Dao-Yan Wu, Xiao-Juan Wu, Ting-Xiu Yang, Jian-Chao Sun, Hui-Feng Jian, Zheng-Hong Chen, Guizhou Key Laboratory of Microbio and Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Guizhou Medical University, Gui’an New Area 561113, Guizhou Province, China

Xiao-Li Xu, Ting-Ting Luo, Qi Liu, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Digestive System Diseases, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China

Shu-Wei Zhuo, Clinical Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine Hainan Hospital, Haikou 570100, Hainan Province, China

Co-first authors: Xiao-Li Xu and Ting-Ting Luo.

Co-corresponding authors: Qi Liu and Zheng-Hong Chen.

Author contributions: Xu XL and Luo TT contributed equally, conducted the animal experiments, analyzed the results, and wrote the main manuscript text as co-first authors; Chen ZH conceived and designed the experiments, critically revised the manuscript; Liu Q assisted with data analysis; Chen ZH and Liu Q reviewed the manuscript; Cui GZ provided technical guidance; Wu XJ and Jian HF assisted with the breeding of animals; Liu Q, Wu DY, Yang TX, Sun JC, and Zhuo SW supplied the experimental strains; Yang TX and Sun JC verified these strains. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82260402; Research Foundation of The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, No. GYFYMF002 and No. GYFYMF001; Central-Guided Local Science and Technology Projects of Guizhou Province, No. Qiankehe[2025]024; Guizhou Key Laboratory, No. ZDSYS[2023]004; Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Digestive System Diseases, No. ZSYS[2025]021; Basic Research Program of Guizhou Science and Technology Plan, No. ZK[2022]341 and No. ZK[2022]368; and National Science Foundation of Hainan, No. 821QN0993.

Institutional review board statement: The isolation and use of clinical Candida strains were approved by the Ethics Committee of Guizhou Medical University, No. 2022-40 and No. 2021-141.

Institutional animal care and use committee statement: All procedures involving animals were reviewed and approved by the Animal Experimental Ethical Inspection of Guizhou Medical University, No. 2303009.

Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.

ARRIVE guidelines statement: The authors have read the ARRIVE guidelines, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the ARRIVE guidelines.

Data sharing statement: The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available in the National Center for Biotechnology Information GenBank with accession number OP796841.1, OP824698, OP850598, OP850582, and OQ733328 and Sequence Read Archive repository with the accession number PRJNA1221296, PRJNA1225572, PRJNA1221135, PRJNA1221297, PRJNA1225511, and PRJNA1221321.

Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Corresponding author: Zheng-Hong Chen, PhD, Professor, Guizhou Key Laboratory of Microbio and Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Guizhou Medical University, No. 6 Ankang Avenue, Gui’an New Area 561113, Guizhou Province, China. chenzhenghong@gmc.edu.cn

Received: October 14, 2025
Revised: November 10, 2025
Accepted: December 16, 2025
Published online: February 21, 2026
Processing time: 119 Days and 21.5 Hours

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Although Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) can cause a range of gastric diseases and affects approximately 50% of the global population, its routes of transmission have yet to be sufficiently clarified. In a preliminary study, we found that H. pylori can reside within the cells of Candida yeasts, with maternal Candida serving as a potential reservoir for the transmission of H. pylori to neonates during delivery.

AIM

To study the route of H. pylori transmission from mothers to offspring.

METHODS

We established vaginal and gastric infection models using female C57BL/6J mice infected with H. pylori 16S rDNA and urease A (ureA) genes-positive Candida. The successfully infective female mice were then mated with normal male mice until conception (classified vaginal and cesarean deliveries). The H. pylori infection status in female mice and their offspring was assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, polymerase chain reaction, Candida isolation and culture, and histopathological examination.

RESULTS

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results showed an increase in H. pylori-specific IgG and IgM serum antibodies in the H. pylori-positive Candida group maternal and offspring mice compared to the control and normal groups. H. pylori 16S rDNA or ureA genes was detected in samples from some of the maternal and offspring mice, including gastric mucosa, intestinal contents, vaginal tissue, placenta, and fetal membranes. In addition, H. pylori 16S rDNA- or ureA gene-positive Candida were successfully isolated from the tissues of some postpartum maternal and offspring mice. Moreover, histopathological examination revealed bleeding spots and inflammatory cell infiltration in the gastric mucosal tissues of some maternal mice and offspring in the H. pylori-positive Candida group.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, H. pylori infection of newborns may be acquired through vertical transmission during childbirth, potentially originating from the mother’s Candida that has been internalized by H. pylori.

Keywords: Helicobacter pylori; Candida; Internalization; Reservoir; Vertical transmission

Core Tip: A comprehensive understanding of the familial pathway for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) transmission is essential for establishing effective infection prevention and control measures. However, the route through which this pathogen is transmitted remains unclear. Our preliminary findings had revealed that H. pylori can internalize within Candida cells, and that maternal vaginal colonization of Candida may serve as a potential route for transmission to neonates during childbirth. On the basis of animal experiments, we seek to confirm the transmission of H. pylori-positive Candida from maternal mice to their offspring during birth, potentially leading to H. pylori infection in the offspring.