Exosomal CagA from Helicobacter pylori aggravates intestinal epithelium barrier dysfunction in chronic colitis by facilitating Claudin-2 expression

BACKGROUND: The chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), especially cytotoxin-associated gene A-positive (CagA(+)) strains, has been associated with various extragastric disorders. Evaluating the potential impacts of virulence factor CagA on intestine may provide a better understanding of H. pylori pathogenesis such as colitis. The intestinal mucosal barrier is essential for maintaining its integrity and functions. However, how persistent CagA(+) H. pylori colonization influences barrier disruption and thereby affects chronic colitis is not fully understood. RESULTS: Chronic colitis models of CagA(+) H. pylori-colonized mice treated with 2% Dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) were established to assess the disease activity and pertinent expression of tight junction proteins closely related to mucosal integrity. The aggravating effect of CagA(+) H. pylori infection on DSS-induced chronic colitis was confirmed in mouse models. In addition, augmented Claudin-2 expression was detected in CagA(+) H. pylori infection conditions and selected for mechanistic analysis. Next, GES-1 human gastric epithelial cells were cultured with CagA(+) H. pylori or a recombinant CagA protein, and exosomes isolated from conditioned media were then identified. We assessed the Claudin-2 levels after exposure to CagA(+) exosomes, CagA(−) exosomes, and IFN-γ incubation, revealing that CagA(+) H. pylori compromised the colonic mucosal barrier and facilitated IFN-γ-induced intestinal epithelial destruction through CagA-containing exosome-mediated mechanisms. Specifically, CagA upregulated Claudin-2 expression at the transcriptional level via a CDX2-dependent mechanism to slow the restoration of wounded mucosa in colitis in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that exosomes containing CagA facilitate CDX2-dependent Claudin-2 maintenance. The exosome-dependent mechanisms of CagA(+) H. pylori infection are indispensable for damaging the mucosal barrier integrity in chronic colitis, which may provide a new idea for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13099-022-00486-0.