The Decay-Accelerating Factor (DAF), a protein in epithelial cells of the stomach acts as a receptor for the bacteria Helicobacter pylori. 20% of H pylori bind to gastric epithelial cells and this binding induces an immune response and alters the morphology and behavior of the epithelial cells.
This happens due to injection of bacterial proteins into the cells. This interaction can lead to peptic ulcer disease, gastric adenocarcinoma, and non-Hodgkins lymphoma of the stomach. If this communication blocks, it can reduce the risk of peptic ulcer disease or gastric cancer!
Study indicates that H. pylori can co-opt a host protein as a receptor and that, it can increase expression of this receptor in gastric epithelial cells. These findings suggest that drugs that interfere with DAF binding could be used to prevent or treat peptic ulcer disease or distal gastric adenocarcinoma.
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