DEFB1 and infection: To assess hβD1 expression by epithelial cells in response to H. pylori infection in vitro, we co-cultured the MKN7 human gastric epithelial cell line [reported to have the most similar characteristics to normal human gastric mucosal cells (Linden et al., 2007)] for 24 h with the cagPAI+ vacA s1/m1 H. pylori strains 60190, 26695, 11637 and P12, and the cagPAI− vacA s2/m2 strains Tx30a, J63 and J68 at a multiplicity of infection (moi) of 100 bacteria per cell.