Figure 2

Inhibition of PAR-2 expression augments H. pylori -induced cell death and DNA fragmentation in AGS cells. (A) AGS cells were transfected with PAR-2 AS ODN or S ODN for 24 hours and cultured in the absence or the presence of H. pylori at a bacterium/cells ratio of 150:1 or 300:1 for 24 hours. Viable cell numbers were determined by trypan blue exclusion test. The results represent mean ± SE of four different experiments. *P < 0.05 compared to the corresponding none (the cells cultured in the absence of H. pylori ). ⁺P < 0.05 compared to the corresponding wild or PAR-2 S (wild cells or the cells transfected with S ODN and cultured in the presence of H. pylori at a bacterium/cells ratio of 150:1 or 300:1). (B) AGS cells were transfected with PAR-2 AS ODN or S ODN for 24 hours and cultured in the absence or the presence of H. pylori at a bacterium/cells ratio of 300:1 for 24 hours. DNA fragmentation was determined by the amount of oligonucleosome-bound DNA in the cell lysates. The relative increase in oligonucleosome-bound DNA was determined at 405 nm and expressed as an enrichment factor. The results represent mean ± SE of four different experiments. *P < 0.05 compared to none control (the cells without transfection and cultured in the absence of H. pylori). ⁺P < 0.05 compared to wild H. pylori control (the cells without transfection and cultured in the presence of H. pylori). Wild, the cells without transfection; Transfected, the cells transfected with S ODN (S) or AS ODN (AS).