1
|
Amaral AF, McQueen BE, Bellingham-Johnstun K, Poston TB, Darville T, Nagarajan UM, Laplante C, Käser T. Host-Pathogen Interactions of Chlamydia trachomatis in Porcine Oviduct Epithelial Cells. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10101270. [PMID: 34684219 PMCID: PMC8540921 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10101270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) causes the most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted disease leading to ectopic pregnancy and infertility. Swine not only have many similarities to humans, but they are also susceptible to Ct. Despite these benefits and the ease of access to primary tissue from this food animal, in vitro research in swine has been underutilized. This study will provide basic understanding of the Ct host–pathogen interactions in porcine oviduct epithelial cells (pOECs)—the counterparts of human Fallopian tube epithelial cells. Using NanoString technology, flow cytometry, and confocal and transmission-electron microscopy, we studied the Ct developmental cycle in pOECs, the cellular immune response, and the expression and location of the tight junction protein claudin-4. We show that Ct productively completes its developmental cycle in pOECs and induces an immune response to Ct similar to human cells: Ct mainly induced the upregulation of interferon regulated genes and T-cell attracting chemokines. Furthermore, Ct infection induced an accumulation of claudin-4 in the Ct inclusion with a coinciding reduction of membrane-bound claudin-4. Downstream effects of the reduced membrane-bound claudin-4 expression could potentially include a reduction in tight-junction expression, impaired epithelial barrier function as well as increased susceptibility to co-infections. Thereby, this study justifies the investigation of the effect of Ct on tight junctions and the mucosal epithelial barrier function. Taken together, this study demonstrates that primary pOECs represent an excellent in vitro model for research into Ct pathogenesis, cell biology and immunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda F. Amaral
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA;
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Bryan E. McQueen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.E.M.); (T.D.)
| | - Kimberly Bellingham-Johnstun
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA; (K.B.-J.); (C.L.)
| | - Taylor B. Poston
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (T.B.P.); (U.M.N.)
| | - Toni Darville
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (B.E.M.); (T.D.)
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (T.B.P.); (U.M.N.)
| | - Uma M. Nagarajan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (T.B.P.); (U.M.N.)
| | - Caroline Laplante
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA; (K.B.-J.); (C.L.)
| | - Tobias Käser
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA;
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-919-513-6352
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Carey AJ, Huston WM, Cunningham KA, Hafner LM, Timms P, Beagley KW. Characterization of in vitro Chlamydia muridarum persistence and utilization in an in vivo mouse model of Chlamydia vaccine. Am J Reprod Immunol 2013; 69:475-85. [PMID: 23414449 DOI: 10.1111/aji.12093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2012] [Accepted: 01/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Chlamydia trachomatis genital tract infections are easily treated with antibiotics; however, the majority of infections are asymptomatic and therefore untreated, highlighting the need for a vaccine. Because most infections are asymptomatic, vaccination could potentially be administered to individuals who may have an acute infection at that time. In such individuals, the effect of vaccination on the existing infection is unknown; however, one potential outcome could be the development of a persistent infection. In vitro chlamydial persistence has been well characterized in various strains; however, there have been no reported studies in C. muridarum. METHOD OF STUDY We performed ultrastructural characterization and transcriptome analysis of selected genes. We then used the transcriptional profiles of the selected genes to examine whether intranasal immunization of mice during an active genital infection would induce persistence in the upper reproductive tract of female mice. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS We found that persistence developed in the oviducts of mice as a result of immunization. This is a significant finding, not only because it is the first time that C. muridarum persistence has been characterized in vitro, but also due to the fact that there is a minimal characterization of in vivo persistence of any chlamydial species. This highlights the importance of the timing of vaccination in individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alison J Carey
- Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
In vivo ultrastructural analysis of the intimate relationship between polymorphonuclear leukocytes and the chlamydial developmental cycle. Infect Immun 2011; 79:3291-301. [PMID: 21576327 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00200-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We utilized a recently developed model of intracervical infection with Chlamydia muridarum in the mouse to elicit a relatively synchronous infection during the initial developmental cycle in order to examine at the ultrastructural level the development of both the chlamydial inclusion and the onset of the inflammatory response. At 18 h after infection, only a few elementary bodies attached to cells were visible, as were an occasional intracellular intermediate body and reticulate body. By 24 h, inclusions had 2 to 5 reticulate bodies and were beginning to fuse. A few polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) were already present in the epithelium in the vicinity of and directly adjacent to infected cells. By 30 h, the inclusions were larger and consisted solely of reticulate bodies, but by 36 to 42 h, they contained intermediate bodies and elementary bodies as well. Many PMNs were adjacent to or actually inside infected cells. Chlamydiae appeared to exit the cell either (i) through disintegration of the inclusion membrane and rupture of the cell, (ii) by dislodgement of the cell from the epithelium by PMNs, or (iii) by direct invasion of the infected cell by the PMNs. When PMNs were depleted, the number of released elementary bodies was significantly greater as determined both visually and by culture. Interestingly, depletion of PMNs revealed the presence of inclusions containing aberrant reticulate bodies, reminiscent of effects seen in vitro when chlamydiae are incubated with gamma interferon. In vivo evidence for the contact-dependent development hypothesis, a potential mechanism for triggering the conversion of reticulate bodies to elementary bodies, and for translocation of lipid droplets into the inclusion is also presented.
Collapse
|
4
|
Appino S, Pregel P, Manuali E, Vincenti L, Rota A, Carnieletto P, Tiberi C, Bollo E. Infection of bovine oviduct cell cultures with Chlamydophila abortus. Anim Reprod Sci 2007; 98:350-6. [PMID: 16621352 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2006.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2005] [Revised: 02/22/2006] [Accepted: 03/07/2006] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Bovine infertility is a major cause of loss in the livestock industry. In the present study bovine oviduct cell cultures were infected with a Chlamydophila abortus strain. A direct evaluation of infection was performed by means of May Grünwald-Giemsa and immunocytochemistry for chlamydial LPS, which revealed inclusion bodies and vacuolisation. SEM and TEM analysis of infected cells showed various degrees of cell damage and conglutination of microvilli. This finding suggests that cattle infertility may result from an alteration of oviduct environment caused by multiplication of C. abortus. This microorganism, among other infectious agents, could be considered a potential causative agent of bovine infertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simonetta Appino
- Istituto di Patologia Generale, Anatomia Patologica e Clinica Ostetrico-Chirurgica Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Sassari, via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|