Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a well-known pathogen associated with chronic gastric infection, progressing from gastritis to gastric adenocarcinoma, but the dynamic phenotypic and molecular characteristics of gastric epithelial cells during sustained infection remain unclear. We established a chronic infection model using the human gastric epithelial cell line GES-1, exposed to H. pylori or its lysate across 30 generations, dynamically assessing cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, autophagy, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, with RNA sequencing for transcriptomic changes and a Mongolian gerbil model to validate chronic pathological progression. Acute H. pylori exposure induced pronounced morphological changes; suppressed proliferation, migration, and invasion; triggered apoptosis; and blocked autophagic flux, while long-term stimulation reversed these effects. EMT markers showed progressive loss of epithelial characteristics with chronic infection. RNA sequencing revealed a dynamic shift from inflammation-driven apoptosis to adaptive survival mechanisms. In vivo, prolonged infection induced dynamic TLR expression alongside progressive gastric pathology, including atrophy and dysplasia. Our study provides new molecular evidence for dynamic cellular and immunological adaptations of gastric epithelial cells under chronic H. pylori infection, highlighting critical intervention windows for preventing gastric carcinogenesis.

Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is a pivotal precancerous condition in gastric carcinogenesis, with progression typically following the classic Correa cascade. Although Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is widely recognized as the principal etiological factor, the persistence of gastric cancer (GC) risk in a subset of patients after successful eradication suggests that gastric microbiota dysbiosis may also contribute to CAG progression. In recent years, high-throughput sequencing technologies have revealed distinct microbial restructuring in patients with CAG, characterized by decreased microbial diversity, depletion of commensal taxa, and enrichment of opportunistic pathogens. These compositional changes are accompanied by metabolic dysfunction, activation of inflammatory signaling pathways, and disruption of immune homeostasis, which may contribute to a microenvironment permissive for precancerous transformation of the gastric mucosa. Probiotics and related microbiome-based therapeutics, including prebiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics, have emerged as promising adjunctive strategies for H. pylori eradication and disease management. Their beneficial effects are mediated through multiple mechanisms, including remodeling of the microbial community, inhibition of pathogen colonization, modulation of host immune responses, and restoration of mucosal barrier integrity. However, whether these interventions can reverse established atrophic or metaplastic lesions remains unclear. In addition, how strain specificity, dose dependency, and interindividual heterogeneity influence clinical efficacy has yet to be fully elucidated. In this review, we summarize the compositional and functional features of gastric microbiota dysbiosis in patients with CAG, as well as the mechanisms and clinical applications of microbiome-based interventions. We further highlight current limitations in the field and discuss future directions for precision microecological therapies integrating multi-omics approaches, engineered probiotics, and artificial intelligence. These advances may provide a theoretical framework and practical guidance for the diagnosis and management of CAG and the prevention of GC.