We have demonstrated that mRNA expression of CagA and OMPs is suppressed by HPnc4160 at the onset of H. pylori infection and that over the course of infection, thymidine repeats are inserted into the upstream region of hpnc4160, decreasing HPnc4160 expression, resulting in increased target mRNA expression; these factors contribute to bacterial adaptation to the host environment and potentiate gastritis and gastric oncogenesis (Fig. 7). Here, S100A8 is linked to infection.