The outer membrane proteins (OMPs) provide a barrier for the bacterium to resist its external environment. Furthermore, OMPs have been shown to be an important component for bacteria attachment to host cells. A total of 4% of the bacterial genome encodes for a diverse family of OMPs in
H. pylori, which is twice the amount compared to
E. coli [6][7]. The largest member of the OMPs is the
Helicobacter outer membrane porin (Hop) family. Among the well-studied Hop proteins are HopS and HopT (also named as blood antigen-binding proteins, BabA and BabB), which facilitate the attachment of bacteria to host cells via binding with the Lewis b (Leb)-histo-blood group antigen
[8]. HopP (also called sialic acid-binding adhesin, SabA) binds to the inflammation-associated sialyl-dimeric-Lewis ßods x glycosphingolipid on gastric epithelial cells during chronic inflammation, leading to enhanced colonization
[9]. HopC (AlpA) and HopB (AlpB) bind to laminin in the host cell; their absence in
H. pylori SS1 mutant caused a more severe inflammation in gerbils
[10]. HopC, HopB, HopZ, and HopH (also named as outer inflammatory protein A, OipA) are also among the OMPs that are indispensable during bacterial attachment and colonization in the stomach of experimental guinea pig
[11]. It has been reported that the
H. pylori OMP HopH/OipA can suppress dendritic cell maturation and interleukin-10 (IL-10) secretion, dampening immune activation
[12]. Apart from this, OipA can induce apoptosis in gastric epithelial cells via Bax/Bcl-2 modulation
[13]. Another molecule identified to be involved in immune modulation is HopQ, which interacts with CEA Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 (CEACAM1)-expressing CD4+ T cells to reduce interferon gamma (IFN-γ) production; CEACAM1-expressing CD8+ T cells, and CD16– natural killer cells to inhibit cytotoxicity
[14].