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Armitage CW, Bryan ER, Trim L, Palframan E, Wager L, Beagley KW, Carey AJ. Haematopoietic innate interleukin 17A production drives immunopathology in female mouse genital Chlamydia muridarum infection. Scand J Immunol 2024; 99:e13359. [PMID: 38605527 DOI: 10.1111/sji.13359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis infection is the leading cause of bacterial urogenital infection and has been demonstrated to drive inflammation and scarring of the reproductive tract. Recent studies have identified key triggers of proinflammatory adaptive immune responses driven by innate leukocytes and epithelia driving immunopathology. Utilizing chimeric mouse models, we investigated the definitive source and role of IL17 and IL17 signalling receptors during early Chlamydia muridarum infection of the female urogenital tract. Bone marrow transplants from wild-type (WT) and IL17A-/- mice to recipients demonstrated equivocal infection kinetics in the reproductive tract, but interestingly, adoptive transfer of IL17A-/- immune cells to WT recipients resulted in no infertility, suggesting a haematopoietic (as opposed to tissue) source of IL17 driving immunopathology. To further delineate the role of IL17 in immunopathology, we infected WT and IL17 receptor A (IL17RA)-/- female mice and observed a significant reduction in immunopathology in IL17RA-/- mice. WT bone marrow transplants to IL17RA-/- recipient mice prevented hydrosalpinx, suggesting signalling through IL17RA drives immunopathology. Furthermore, early chemical inhibition of IL17 signalling significantly reduced hydrosalpinx, suggesting IL17 acts as an innate driver of disease. Early during the infection, IL17 was produced by γδ T cells in the cervico-vagina, but more importantly, by neutrophils at the site of infertility in the oviducts. Taken together, these data suggest innate production of IL17 by haematopoietic leukocytes drives immunopathology in the epithelia during early C. muridarum infection of the female reproductive tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles W Armitage
- School of Biomedical Science and Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Peter Goher Department of Immunobiology, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - Emily R Bryan
- School of Biomedical Science and Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Logan Trim
- School of Biomedical Science and Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ella Palframan
- School of Biomedical Science and Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lucas Wager
- School of Biomedical Science and Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kenneth W Beagley
- School of Biomedical Science and Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alison J Carey
- School of Biomedical Science and Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Nazareth L, Walkden H, Chacko A, Delbaz A, Shelper T, Armitage CW, Reshamwala R, Trim LK, St John JA, Beagley KW, Ekberg JAK. Chlamydia muridarum Can Invade the Central Nervous System via the Olfactory and Trigeminal Nerves and Infect Peripheral Nerve Glial Cells. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 10:607779. [PMID: 33489937 PMCID: PMC7819965 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.607779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia pneumoniae can infect the brain and has been linked to late-onset dementia. Chlamydia muridarum, which infects mice, is often used to model human chlamydial infections. While it has been suggested to be also important for modelling brain infection, nervous system infection by C. muridarum has not been reported in the literature. C. pneumoniae has been shown to infect the olfactory bulb in mice after intranasal inoculation, and has therefore been suggested to invade the brain via the olfactory nerve; however, nerve infection has not been shown to date. Another path by which certain bacteria can reach the brain is via the trigeminal nerve, but it remains unknown whether Chlamydia species can infect this nerve. Other bacteria that can invade the brain via the olfactory and/or trigeminal nerve can do so rapidly, however, whether Chlamydia spp. can reach the brain earlier than one-week post inoculation remains unknown. In the current study, we showed that C. muridarum can within 48 h invade the brain via the olfactory nerve, in addition to infecting the trigeminal nerve. We also cultured the glial cells of the olfactory and trigeminal nerves and showed that C. muridarum readily infected the cells, constituting a possible cellular mechanism explaining how the bacteria can invade the nerves without being eliminated by glial immune functions. Further, we demonstrated that olfactory and trigeminal glia differed in their responses to C. muridarum, with olfactory glia showing less infection and stronger immune response than trigeminal glia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn Nazareth
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia.,Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Heidi Walkden
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia.,Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Anu Chacko
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia.,Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Ali Delbaz
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia.,Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Todd Shelper
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia.,Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Charles W Armitage
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Ronak Reshamwala
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia.,Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Logan K Trim
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - James A St John
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia.,Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia.,Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Kenneth W Beagley
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jenny A K Ekberg
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia.,Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia.,Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
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The Cryptic Plasmid Improves Chlamydia Fitness in Different Regions of the Gastrointestinal Tract. Infect Immun 2020; 88:IAI.00860-19. [PMID: 31871102 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00860-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The cryptic plasmid is important for chlamydial colonization in the gastrointestinal tract. We used a combination of intragastric, intrajejunal, and intracolon inoculations to reveal the impact of the plasmid on chlamydial colonization in distinct regions of gastrointestinal tract. Following an intragastric inoculation, the plasmid significantly improved chlamydial colonization. At the tissue level, plasmid-positive Chlamydia produced infectious progenies throughout gastrointestinal tract. However, to our surprise, plasmid-deficient Chlamydia failed to produce infectious progenies in small intestine, although infectious progenies were eventually detected in large intestine, indicating a critical role of the plasmid in chlamydial differentiation into infectious particles in small intestine. The noninfectious status may represent persistent infection, since Chlamydia genomes proliferated in the same tissues. Following an intrajejunal inoculation that bypasses the gastric barrier, plasmid-deficient Chlamydia produced infectious progenies in small intestine but was 530-fold less infectious than plasmid-positive Chlamydia, suggesting that (i) the noninfectious status developed after intragastric inoculation might be induced by a combination of gastric and intestinal effectors and (ii) chlamydial colonization in small intestine was highly dependent on plasmid. Finally, following an intracolon inoculation, the dependence of chlamydial colonization on plasmid increased over time. Thus, we have demonstrated that the plasmid may be able to improve chlamydial fitness in different gut regions via different mechanisms, which has laid a foundation to further reveal the specific mechanisms.
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Harvie MC, Carey AJ, Armitage CW, O'Meara CP, Peet J, Phillips ZN, Timms P, Beagley KW. Chlamydia-infected macrophages are resistant to azithromycin treatment and are associated with chronic oviduct inflammation and hydrosalpinx development. Immunol Cell Biol 2019; 97:865-876. [PMID: 31348541 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Chlamydia infection remains the leading sexually-transmitted bacterial infection worldwide, causing damaging sequelae such as tubal scarring, infertility and ectopic pregnancy. As infection is often asymptomatic, prevention via vaccination is the optimal strategy for disease control. Vaccination strategies aimed at preventing bacterial infection have shown some promise, although these strategies often fail to prevent damaging inflammatory pathology when Chlamydia is encountered. Using a murine model of Chlamydia muridarum genital infection, we employed two established independent models to compare immune responses underpinning pathologic development of genital Chlamydia infection. Model one uses antibiotic treatment during infection, with only early treatment preventing pathology. Model two uses a plasmid-cured variant strain of C. muridarum that does not cause pathologic outcomes like the plasmid-containing wild-type counterpart. Using these infection models, contrasted by the development of pathology, we identified an unexpected role for macrophages. We observed that mice showing signs of pathology had greater numbers of activated macrophages present in the oviducts. This may have been due to early differences in macrophage activation and proinflammatory signaling leading to persistent or enhanced infection. These results provide valuable insight into the cellular mechanisms driving pathology in Chlamydia infection and contribute to the design and development of more effective vaccine strategies for protection against the deleterious sequelae of Chlamydia infection of the female reproductive tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Cg Harvie
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Alison J Carey
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Charles W Armitage
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Connor P O'Meara
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jesse Peet
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Zachary N Phillips
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Peter Timms
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of Sunshine Coast (USC), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Kenneth W Beagley
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Chlamydial Type III Secretion System Needle Protein Induces Protective Immunity against Chlamydia muridarum Intravaginal Infection. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 2017:3865802. [PMID: 28459057 PMCID: PMC5385227 DOI: 10.1155/2017/3865802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis imposes serious health problems and causes infertility. Because of asymptomatic onset, it often escapes antibiotic treatment. Therefore, vaccines offer a better option for the prevention of unwanted inflammatory sequelae. The existence of serologically distinct serovars of C. trachomatis suggests that a vaccine will need to provide protection against multiple serovars. Chlamydia spp. use a highly conserved type III secretion system (T3SS) composed of structural and effector proteins which is an essential virulence factor. In this study, we expressed the T3SS needle protein of Chlamydia muridarum, TC_0037, an ortholog of C. trachomatis CdsF, in a replication-defective adenoviral vector (AdTC_0037) and evaluated its protective efficacy in an intravaginal Chlamydia muridarum model. For better immune responses, we employed a heterologous prime-boost immunization protocol in which mice were intranasally primed with AdTC_0037 and subcutaneously boosted with recombinant TC_0037 and Toll-like receptor 4 agonist monophosphoryl lipid A mixed in a squalene nanoscale emulsion. We found that immunization with TC_0037 antigen induced specific humoral and T cell responses, decreased Chlamydia loads in the genital tract, and abrogated pathology of upper genital organs. Together, our results suggest that TC_0037, a highly conserved chlamydial T3SS protein, is a good candidate for inclusion in a Chlamydia vaccine.
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Sobinoff AP, Dando SJ, Redgrove KA, Sutherland JM, Stanger SJ, Armitage CW, Timms P, McLaughlin EA, Beagley KW. Chlamydia muridarum infection-induced destruction of male germ cells and sertoli cells is partially prevented by Chlamydia major outer membrane protein-specific immune CD4 cells. Biol Reprod 2014; 92:27. [PMID: 25472923 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.114.124180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis infections are increasingly prevalent worldwide. Male chlamydial infections are associated with urethritis, epididymitis, and orchitis; however, the role of Chlamydia in prostatitis and male factor infertility remains controversial. Using a model of Chlamydia muridarum infection in male C57BL/6 mice, we investigated the effects of chlamydial infection on spermatogenesis and determined the potential of immune T cells to prevent infection-induced outcomes. Antigen-specific CD4 T cells significantly reduced the infectious burden in the penile urethra, epididymis, and vas deferens. Infection disrupted seminiferous tubules, causing loss of germ cells at 4 and 8 wk after infection, with the most severely affected tubules containing only Sertoli cells. Increased mitotic proliferation, DNA repair, and apoptosis in spermatogonial cells and damaged germ cells were evident in atrophic tubules. Activated caspase 3 (casp3) staining revealed increased (6-fold) numbers of Sertoli cells with abnormal morphology that were casp3 positive in tubules of infected mice, indicating increased levels of apoptosis. Sperm count and motility were both decreased in infected mice, and there was a significant decrease in morphologically normal spermatozoa. Assessment of the spermatogonial stem cell population revealed a decrease in promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF)-positive cells in the seminiferous tubules. Interestingly, adoptive transfer of antigen-specific CD4 cells, particularly T-helper 2-like cells, prior to infection prevented these effects in spermatogenesis and Sertoli cells. These data suggest that chlamydial infection adversely affects spermatogenesis and male fertility, and that vaccination can potentially prevent the spread of infection and these adverse outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander P Sobinoff
- Priority Research Centres in Chemical Biology and Reproductive Science, School of Environmental & Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Samantha J Dando
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kate A Redgrove
- Priority Research Centres in Chemical Biology and Reproductive Science, School of Environmental & Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jessie M Sutherland
- Priority Research Centres in Chemical Biology and Reproductive Science, School of Environmental & Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Simone J Stanger
- Priority Research Centres in Chemical Biology and Reproductive Science, School of Environmental & Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Charles W Armitage
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Peter Timms
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Eileen A McLaughlin
- Priority Research Centres in Chemical Biology and Reproductive Science, School of Environmental & Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kenneth W Beagley
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Campbell LA, Rosenfeld ME. Persistent C. pneumoniae infection in atherosclerotic lesions: rethinking the clinical trials. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2014; 4:34. [PMID: 24711989 PMCID: PMC3968756 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lee Ann Campbell
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michael E Rosenfeld
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Department of Pathology, University of Washington Seattle, WA, USA
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