Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) acts as immunomodulatory therapy to elevate CD8 T- lymphocytes against H. pylori-associated gastric cancer with IL-2 cytokines through autophagy induction

Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) is a causative agent of gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcers and gastric adenocarcinoma. Long duration chemotherapy results in the emergence of resistance in H. pylori and persists for life. Immunomodulation might provide an alternate means of reducing H. pylori -mediated disease through qualitative changes to the inflammation induced by chronic infection. Camellia sinensis (CS) is reported as a significant antimicrobial dietary agent. Here, we analyzed the immunomodulatory effect of CS against H. pylori infection by using CS immunomodulatory H. pylori associated-gastritis mice model and then determining the molecular mechanism by flow cytometry, qPCR, ELISA in the mouse and T-cell lines. Hemolytic plaque assay is a method which helps to in-vitro enumeration of cells producing antibodies against H. pylori surface and sonicate whole cell antigens. The PFU were calculated as PFU/spleen. Mice treated with H. pylori sonicate antigen with CS showed significant high immunomodulatory effect against H. pylori infection. In the center of each plaque antibody secreting plasma B cell was present. CS consumption, together with H. pylori sonicate vaccine, causes upregulation of CD8 lymphocytes with high secretion of type-I cytokines. CS induces autophagy with the upregulation of ATG5, Beclin, ATG7, ULK1, LC3a, FIP200, LC3b and BNIP3I. This study suggests a significant immunomodulatory effect of CS and helps to understand the bacterial and host drivers of chronic inflammation and cellular infiltration in presence of H. pylori . Hence, CS is helpful in the eradication of H. pylori from patients with gastroduodenal ulcer disease. A hemolytic plaque assay is a simple, sensitive assay which shows the kinetics of the immune response as observed in in-vivo assays of serum antibodies. CS can be used as an alternative means for eradicating H. pylori by stimulating the immune response.