Vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA toxin), an 88-kDa multifunctional protein, and other toxins are produced by Helicobacter pylori. We hypothesize that H. pylori, VacA toxin, and other toxins within the gastrointestinal tract and/or oropharynx are also found in the lung and may contribute to decline in lung function. Analyses of gastrointestinal, oropharyngeal, lung and blood specimens will improve the understanding of H. pylori, VacA toxin, and other toxins as well as their potential role in pathophysiology of disease. The objectives of this exploratory protocol are to procure gastrointestinal, oropharyngeal, lung and/or blood specimens from healthy research volunteers and subjects with lung disease (e.g., lymphangioleiomyomatosis, asthma, sarcoidosis, pulmonary fibrosis) and to analyze these specimens for H. pylori, VacA toxin, and other toxins. We hypothesize that the toxins may have a role in the pathogenesis of lung disease and in the subclinical decline in lung function seen with aging.
