Spectroscopic assessment of biomolecular changes in Helicobacter pylori and Epstein-Barr virus co-infected gastric epithelial cells

Helicobacter pylori and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) are Group 1 carcinogens that can enhance gastric cancer progression. Bioactive substances extracted from plants can be effective therapeutic agents in cancer treatment. For example, Withania somnifera extract-WSE reduces the Gankyrin oncoprotein, which is upregulated in the presence of H. pylori and EBV. The various biochemical and metabolic changes upon 24 hrs post-infection followed by W. somnifera extract (WSE) treatment on gastric epithelial cells (AGS) can be studied using spectroscopic techniques. In the biomedical sciences, Raman and NMR spectroscopy have been extensively employed to interpret cellular alterations contributing to the onset of infection and the severity of gastric cancer. More specifically, alterations in cellular biochemical homeostasis are linked to the moieties of cholesterol, collagen, choline, carbohydrate, lipids, tyrosine, and phenylalanine. Further, we have found significantly elevated FWHM for carbohydrates, tumor associated protein, collagen, cholesterol, and cholesterol ester in the co-infection model. We also looked into the potential correlation between these molecules using molecular network analysis and found several related factors that can be modulated through biomolecular levels. These molecules are crucial in several physiological functions, including cell division, cell proliferation, apoptosis, necrosis, cell migration, and lipid transport. Our study paves the pathway to study H. pylori and EBV co-infection in human gastric epithelial cells and the therapeutic interventions of WSE in this scenario and highlights specific biomolecular alterations, which can be focused for further mechanistic investigations.