At the 2 h infection time point, expression of 13 genes (IL1A, IL24, CXCL2, CXCL3, RND1, BMF, IER3, TNFAIP3, TIPARP, LHX4, STC2, EPGN, EREG) was significantly upregulated in MKN-28 cells after infection with either wt or ΔhtrA mutant H. pylori strains. This evidence concerns the gene EREG and infection.