S100A8 and peptic ulcer disease: Cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA) and vacuolating cytotoxin gene A (vacA), the two most important virulence factors of H. pylori [9], have been reported to enhance its pathogenicity [10] while cagA is related to peptic ulcer and gastric malignancy in certain populations [11, 12]; vacA can induce host cell vacuolation and eventually cell death [11].