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Song J, Dong X, Lan Y, Lu Y, Liu X, Kang X, Huang Z, Yue B, Liu Y, Ma W, Zhang L, Yan H, He M, Fan Z, Guo T. Interpretation of vaginal metagenomic characteristics in different types of vaginitis. mSystems 2024; 9:e0137723. [PMID: 38364107 PMCID: PMC10949516 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01377-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Although vaginitis is closely related to vaginal microecology in females, the precise composition and functional potential of different types of vaginitis remain unclear. Here, metagenomic sequencing was applied to analyze the vaginal flora in patients with various forms of vaginitis, including cases with a clue cell proportion ranging from 1% to 20% (Clue1_20), bacterial vaginitis (BV), vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), and BV combined with VVC (VVC_BV). Our results identified Prevotella as an important biomarker between BV and Clue1_20. Moreover, a gradual decrease was observed in the relative abundance of shikimic acid metabolism associated with bacteria producing indole as well as a decline in the abundance of Gardnerella vaginalis in patients with BV, Clue1_20, and healthy women. Interestingly, the vaginal flora of patients in the VVC_BV group exhibited structural similarities to that of the VVC group, and its potentially functional characteristics resembled those of the BV and VVC groups. Finally, Lactobacillus crispatus was found in high abundance in healthy samples, greatly contributing to the stability of the vaginal environment. For the further study of L. crispatus, we isolated five strains of L. crispatus from healthy samples and evaluated their capacity to inhibit G. vaginalis biofilms and produce lactic acid in vitro to select the potential probiotic candidate for improving vaginitis in future clinical studies. Overall, we successfully identified bacterial biomarkers of different vaginitis and characterized the dynamic shifts in vaginal flora between patients with BV and healthy females. This research advances our understanding and holds great promise in enhancing clinical approaches for the treatment of vaginitis. IMPORTANCE Vaginitis is one of the most common gynecological diseases, mostly caused by infections of pathogens such as Candida albicans and Gardnerella vaginalis. In recent years, it has been found that the stability of the vaginal flora plays an important role in vaginitis. Furthermore, the abundant Lactobacillus-producing rich lactic acid in the vagina provides a healthy acidic environment such as Lactobacillus crispatus. The metabolites of Lactobacillus can inhibit the colonization of pathogens. Here, we collected the vaginal samples of patients with bacterial vaginitis (BV), vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), and BV combined with VVC to discover the differences and relationships among the different kinds of vaginitis by metagenomic sequencing. Furthermore, because of the importance of L. crispatus in promoting vaginal health, we isolated multiple strains from vaginal samples of healthy females and chose the most promising strain with potential probiotic benefits to provide clinical implications for treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiarong Song
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xue Dong
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yue Lan
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yunwei Lu
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuena Kang
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhonglu Huang
- Meishan Women and Children’s Hospital, Meishan, Sichuan, China
| | - Bisong Yue
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wenjin Ma
- Chenghua District Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Libo Zhang
- Renshou County People’s Hospital, Renshou, Sichuan, China
| | - Haijun Yan
- Meishan Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Meishan, Sichuan, China
| | - Miao He
- Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhenxin Fan
- Key Laboratory of Bioresources and Ecoenvironment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Guo
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Ardizzone CM, Taylor CM, Toh E, Lillis RA, Elnaggar JH, Lammons JW, Mott PD, Duffy EL, Shen L, Quayle AJ. Association of Chlamydia trachomatis burden with the vaginal microbiota, bacterial vaginosis, and metronidazole treatment. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1289449. [PMID: 38149008 PMCID: PMC10750252 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1289449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a dysbiosis of the vaginal microbiota, is a common coinfection with Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct), and BV-associated bacteria (BVAB) and their products have been implicated in aiding Ct evade natural immunity. Here, we determined if a non-optimal vaginal microbiota was associated with a higher genital Ct burden and if metronidazole, a standard treatment for BV, would reduce Ct burden or aid in natural clearance of Ct infection. Cervicovaginal samples were collected from women at enrollment and, if testing positive for Ct infection, at a follow-up visit approximately one week later. Cervical Ct burden was assessed by inclusion forming units (IFU) and Ct genome copy number (GCN), and 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to determine the composition of the vaginal microbiota. We observed a six-log spectrum of IFU and an eight-log spectrum of GCN in our study participants at their enrollment visit, but BV, as indicated by Amsel's criteria, Nugent scoring, or VALENCIA community state typing, did not predict infectious and total Ct burden, although IFU : GCN increased with Amsel and Nugent scores and in BV-like community state types. Ct burden was, however, associated with the abundance of bacterial species in the vaginal microbiota, negatively with Lactobacillus crispatus and positively with Prevotella bivia. Women diagnosed with BV were treated with metronidazole, and Ct burden was significantly reduced in those who resolved BV with treatment. A subset of women naturally cleared Ct infection in the interim, typified by low Ct burden at enrollment and resolution of BV. Abundance of many BVAB decreased, and Lactobacillus increased, in response to metronidazole treatment, but no changes in abundances of specific vaginal bacteria were unique to women who spontaneously cleared Ct infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb M. Ardizzone
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Christopher M. Taylor
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Evelyn Toh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Rebecca A. Lillis
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Jacob H. Elnaggar
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - John W. Lammons
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Patricia Dehon Mott
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Emily L. Duffy
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Li Shen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Alison J. Quayle
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
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3
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Jordan SJ, Wilson L, Ren J, Gupta K, Barnes S, Geisler WM. Natural Clearance of Chlamydia trachomatis Infection Is Associated With Distinct Differences in Cervicovaginal Metabolites. J Infect Dis 2023; 228:1119-1126. [PMID: 37163744 PMCID: PMC10582912 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural clearance of Chlamydia trachomatis in women occurs in the interval between screening and treatment. In vitro, interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-mediated tryptophan depletion results in C. trachomatis clearance, but whether this mechanism occurs in vivo remains unclear. We previously found that women who naturally cleared C. trachomatis had lower cervicovaginal levels of tryptophan and IFN-γ compared to women with persisting infection, suggesting IFN-γ-independent pathways may promote C. trachomatis clearance. METHODS Cervicovaginal lavages from 34 women who did (n = 17) or did not (n = 17) naturally clear C. trachomatis were subjected to untargeted high-performance liquid chromatography mass-spectrometry to identify metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with natural clearance. RESULTS In total, 375 positively charged metabolites and 149 negatively charged metabolites were annotated. Compared to women with persisting infection, C. trachomatis natural clearance was associated with increased levels of oligosaccharides trehalose, sucrose, melezitose, and maltotriose, and lower levels of indoline and various amino acids. Metabolites were associated with valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis pathways. CONCLUSIONS The cervicovaginal metabolome in women who did or did not naturally clear C. trachomatis is distinct. In women who cleared C. trachomatis, depletion of various amino acids, especially valine, leucine, and isoleucine, suggests that amino acids other than tryptophan impact C. trachomatis survival in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Jordan
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Landon Wilson
- Targeted Metabolomics and Proteomics Laboratory, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Jie Ren
- Department of Biostatics and Health Data Science, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Kanupriya Gupta
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Stephen Barnes
- Targeted Metabolomics and Proteomics Laboratory, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - William M Geisler
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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Brown SE, Tuddenham S, Shardell MD, Klebanoff MA, Ghanem KG, Brotman RM. Bacterial Vaginosis and Spontaneous Clearance of Chlamydia trachomatis in the Longitudinal Study of Vaginal Flora. J Infect Dis 2023; 228:783-791. [PMID: 37158693 PMCID: PMC10503950 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Up to 26% of urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infections spontaneously resolve between detection and treatment. Mechanisms governing natural resolution are unknown. We examined whether bacterial vaginosis (BV) was associated with greater chlamydia persistence versus spontaneous clearance in a large, longitudinal study. METHODS Between 1999 and 2003, the Longitudinal Study of Vaginal Flora followed reproductive-age women quarterly for 1 year. Baseline chlamydia screening and treatment were initiated after ligase chain reaction testing became available midstudy, and unscreened endocervical samples were tested after study completion. Chlamydia clearance and persistence were defined between consecutive visits without chlamydia-active antibiotics (n = 320 persistence/n = 310 clearance). Associations between Nugent score (0-3, no BV; 4-10, intermediate/BV), Amsel-BV, and chlamydia persistence versus clearance were modeled with alternating and conditional logistic regression. RESULTS Of chlamydia cases, 48% spontaneously cleared by the next visit (310/630). Nugent-intermediate/BV was associated with higher odds of chlamydia persistence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30-2.74), and the findings were similar for Amsel-BV (aOR 1.39; 95% CI, .99-1.96). The association between Nugent-intermediate/BV and chlamydia persistence was stronger in a within-participant analysis of 67 participants with both clearance/persistence intervals (aOR = 4.77; 95% CI, 1.39-16.35). BV symptoms did not affect any results. CONCLUSIONS BV is associated with greater chlamydia persistence. Optimizing the vaginal microbiome may promote chlamydia clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Brown
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Susan Tuddenham
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michelle D Shardell
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark A Klebanoff
- Center for Perinatal Research, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Khalil G Ghanem
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Rebecca M Brotman
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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5
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Riffaud CM, Rucks EA, Ouellette SP. Persistence of obligate intracellular pathogens: alternative strategies to overcome host-specific stresses. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1185571. [PMID: 37284502 PMCID: PMC10239878 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1185571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In adapting to the intracellular niche, obligate intracellular bacteria usually undergo a reduction of genome size by eliminating genes not needed for intracellular survival. These losses can include, for example, genes involved in nutrient anabolic pathways or in stress response. Living inside a host cell offers a stable environment where intracellular bacteria can limit their exposure to extracellular effectors of the immune system and modulate or outright inhibit intracellular defense mechanisms. However, highlighting an area of vulnerability, these pathogens are dependent on the host cell for nutrients and are very sensitive to conditions that limit nutrient availability. Persistence is a common response shared by evolutionarily divergent bacteria to survive adverse conditions like nutrient deprivation. Development of persistence usually compromises successful antibiotic therapy of bacterial infections and is associated with chronic infections and long-term sequelae for the patients. During persistence, obligate intracellular pathogens are viable but not growing inside their host cell. They can survive for a long period of time such that, when the inducing stress is removed, reactivation of their growth cycles resumes. Given their reduced coding capacity, intracellular bacteria have adapted different response mechanisms. This review gives an overview of the strategies used by the obligate intracellular bacteria, where known, which, unlike model organisms such as E. coli, often lack toxin-antitoxin systems and the stringent response that have been linked to a persister phenotype and amino acid starvation states, respectively.
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6
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Banerjee A, Sun Y, Muramatsu MK, Toh E, Nelson DE. A Member of an Ancient Family of Bacterial Amino Acids Transporters Contributes to Chlamydia Nutritional Virulence and Immune Evasion. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0048322. [PMID: 36847502 PMCID: PMC10068747 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00483-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Many obligate intracellular bacteria, including members of the genus Chlamydia, cannot synthesize a variety of amino acids de novo and acquire these from host cells via largely unknown mechanisms. Previously, we determined that a missense mutation in ctl0225, a conserved Chlamydia open reading frame of unknown function, mediated sensitivity to interferon gamma. Here, we show evidence that CTL0225 is a member of the SnatA family of neutral amino acid transporters that contributes to the import of several amino acids into Chlamydia cells. Further, we show that CTL0225 orthologs from two other distantly related obligate intracellular pathogens (Coxiella burnetii and Buchnera aphidicola) are sufficient to import valine into Escherichia coli. We also show that chlamydia infection and interferon exposure have opposing effects on amino acid metabolism, potentially explaining the relationship between CTL0225 and interferon sensitivity. Overall, we show that phylogenetically diverse intracellular pathogens use an ancient family of amino acid transporters to acquire host amino acids and provide another example of how nutritional virulence and immune evasion can be linked in obligate intracellular pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arkaprabha Banerjee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Yuan Sun
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Matthew K. Muramatsu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Evelyn Toh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - David E. Nelson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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7
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Winner H, Friesenhahn A, Wang Y, Stanbury N, Wang J, He C, Zhong G. Regulation of chlamydial colonization by IFNγ delivered via distinct cells. Trends Microbiol 2023; 31:270-279. [PMID: 36175276 PMCID: PMC9974551 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The mouse-adapted pathogen Chlamydia muridarum (CM) induces pathology in the mouse genital tract but fails to do so in the gastrointestinal tract. CM is cleared from both the genital tract and small intestine by IFNγ delivered by antigen-specific CD4+ T cells but persists for a long period in the large intestine. The long-lasting colonization of CM in the large intestine is regulated by IFNγ delivered by group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s). Interestingly, the ILC3-delivered IFNγ can inhibit the human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in the mouse endometrium. Thus, IFNγ produced/delivered by different cells may selectively restrict chlamydial colonization in different tissues. Revealing the underlying mechanisms of chlamydial interactions with IFNγ produced by different cells may yield new insights into both chlamydial pathogenicity and mucosal immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halah Winner
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78230, USA
| | - Ann Friesenhahn
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78230, USA
| | - Yihui Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78230, USA; College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Two Yuanmingyuan Xi Lu, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Nicholas Stanbury
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78230, USA
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Immunology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China
| | - Cheng He
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Two Yuanmingyuan Xi Lu, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Guangming Zhong
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78230, USA.
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Tryptophan Availability during Persistence of Chlamydia trachomatis Directly Impacts Expression of Chlamydial Cell Division Proteins. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0051322. [PMID: 36645295 PMCID: PMC9933654 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00513-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia is an obligate intracellular pathogen with a highly reduced genome devoid of major stress response genes like relA and spoT, which mediate the stringent response. Interestingly, as an intracellular bacterium dependent on its host for nutrients and as a tryptophan (Trp) auxotroph, Chlamydia is very sensitive to Trp starvation, which is induced in vivo by the host cytokine interferon-γ. In response to Trp starvation, Chlamydia enters a viable but nonreplicating state called persistence. A major characteristic of chlamydial persistence is a block in cell division. We hypothesized that cell division is blocked during persistence by the inability to translate Trp-rich cell division proteins. To test this, we first investigated the translation of various cell division proteins under Trp starvation conditions using inducible expression strains. We observed that the Trp-poor protein MurG and the Trp-neutral protein FtsL were still expressed during persistence, while the expression of the Trp-rich proteins Pbp2, RodA, FtsI/Pbp3, and MraY was significantly reduced. As proof of concept for our hypothesis, we compared expression of a wild-type and mutant isoform of RodZ in which its four Trp codons were mutated. These experiments demonstrated that decreased expression of RodZ during persistence was reversed when no Trp was present in the protein, thus directly linking its expression to its Trp content. Together, these experiments indicate that specific cell division proteins are not produced during persistence. For the first time, our data provide a mechanism that explains the inhibition of cell division during chlamydial persistence mediated by Trp starvation.
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Intracellular lifestyle of Chlamydia trachomatis and host-pathogen interactions. Nat Rev Microbiol 2023:10.1038/s41579-023-00860-y. [PMID: 36788308 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-023-00860-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, substantial progress has been made in the understanding of the intracellular lifestyle of Chlamydia trachomatis and how the bacteria establish themselves in the human host. As an obligate intracellular pathogenic bacterium with a strongly reduced coding capacity, C. trachomatis depends on the provision of nutrients from the host cell. In this Review, we summarize the current understanding of how C. trachomatis establishes its intracellular replication niche, how its metabolism functions in the host cell, how it can defend itself against the cell autonomous and innate immune response and how it overcomes adverse situations through the transition to a persistent state. In particular, we focus on those processes for which a mechanistic understanding has been achieved.
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Zhang S, Funahashi Y, Tanaka S, Okubo T, Thapa J, Nakamura S, Higashi H, Yamaguchi H. Chlamydia trachomatis relies on the scavenger role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor with detyrosinated tubulin for its intracellular growth, but this is impaired by excess indole. Microbes Infect 2023; 25:105097. [PMID: 36608767 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2022.105097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Although IFN-γ depletes tryptophan (Trp) as a defense against intracellular Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infected to hypoxic vagina, the presence of indole, a precursor of Trp, enables Ct to infect IFN-γ-exposed culture cells. Meanwhile, Trp-derived indole derivatives interact the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which is a ligand-dependent transcription factor involved in the cellular homeostasis with tubulin dynamics. Here, the amounts of IFN-γ and indole in cervical swabs with known Ct infection status were measured, and Ct growth in the presence of indole was determined from the perspective of the AhR axis under hypoxia. A positive correlation between the amounts of IFN-γ and indole was found, and both of these amounts were lower in Ct-positive swabs than in Ct-negative ones. Indole as well as other AhR ligands inhibited Ct growth, especially under normoxia. Ct prompted the expression of detyrosinated tubulin (dTTub), but indole inhibited it. Indole did not stimulate the translocation of AhR to nucleus, and it blocked AhR activation in AhR-reporter cells. Ct growth was reduced more effectively under normoxia in AhR-knockdown cells, an effect that was enhanced by indole, which in turn diminished dTTub. Thus, Ct growth relies on the scavenger role of cytosolic AhR responsible for promoting dTTub expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saicheng Zhang
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Yuki Funahashi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Satoho Tanaka
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Torahiko Okubo
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
| | - Jeewan Thapa
- Division of Bioresources, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, North-20, West-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
| | - Shinji Nakamura
- Division of Biomedical Imaging Research, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan; Division of Ultrastructural Research, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan.
| | - Hideaki Higashi
- Division of Infection and Immunity, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, North-20, West-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
| | - Hiroyuki Yamaguchi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, North-12, West-5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
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Dong M, Dong Y, Bai J, Li H, Ma X, Li B, Wang C, Li H, Qi W, Wang Y, Fan A, Han C, Xue F. Interactions between microbiota and cervical epithelial, immune, and mucus barrier. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1124591. [PMID: 36909729 PMCID: PMC9998931 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1124591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The female reproductive tract harbours hundreds of bacterial species and produces numerous metabolites. The uterine cervix is located between the upper and lower parts of the female genital tract. It allows sperm and birth passage and hinders the upward movement of microorganisms into a relatively sterile uterus. It is also the predicted site for sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as Chlamydia, human papilloma virus (HPV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The healthy cervicovaginal microbiota maintains cervical epithelial barrier integrity and modulates the mucosal immune system. Perturbations of the microbiota composition accompany changes in microbial metabolites that induce local inflammation, damage the cervical epithelial and immune barrier, and increase susceptibility to STI infection and relative disease progression. This review examined the intimate interactions between the cervicovaginal microbiota, relative metabolites, and the cervical epithelial-, immune-, and mucus barrier, and the potent effect of the host-microbiota interaction on specific STI infection. An improved understanding of cervicovaginal microbiota regulation on cervical microenvironment homeostasis might promote advances in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for various STI diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Dong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yalan Dong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Junyi Bai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Huanrong Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaotong Ma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Bijun Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Huiyang Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenhui Qi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yingmei Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Aiping Fan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Cha Han
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- *Correspondence: Cha Han, ; Fengxia Xue,
| | - Fengxia Xue
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- *Correspondence: Cha Han, ; Fengxia Xue,
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12
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Walsh SC, Reitano JR, Dickinson MS, Kutsch M, Hernandez D, Barnes AB, Schott BH, Wang L, Ko DC, Kim SY, Valdivia RH, Bastidas RJ, Coers J. The bacterial effector GarD shields Chlamydia trachomatis inclusions from RNF213-mediated ubiquitylation and destruction. Cell Host Microbe 2022; 30:1671-1684.e9. [PMID: 36084633 PMCID: PMC9772000 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading cause of sexually transmitted bacterial infections and a major threat to women's reproductive health in particular. This obligate intracellular pathogen resides and replicates within a cellular compartment termed an inclusion, where it is sheltered by unknown mechanisms from gamma-interferon (IFNγ)-induced cell-autonomous host immunity. Through a genetic screen, we uncovered the Chlamydia inclusion membrane protein gamma resistance determinant (GarD) as a bacterial factor protecting inclusions from cell-autonomous immunity. In IFNγ-primed human cells, inclusions formed by garD loss-of-function mutants become decorated with linear ubiquitin and are eliminated. Leveraging cellular genome-wide association data, we identified the ubiquitin E3 ligase RNF213 as a candidate anti-Chlamydia protein. We demonstrate that IFNγ-inducible RNF213 facilitates the ubiquitylation and destruction of GarD-deficient inclusions. Furthermore, we show that GarD operates as a cis-acting stealth factor barring RNF213 from targeting inclusions, thus functionally defining GarD as an RNF213 antagonist essential for chlamydial growth during IFNγ-stimulated immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen C Walsh
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Reitano
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Mary S Dickinson
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Miriam Kutsch
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Dulcemaria Hernandez
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Alyson B Barnes
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Benjamin H Schott
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Liuyang Wang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Dennis C Ko
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - So Young Kim
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Raphael H Valdivia
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Robert J Bastidas
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jörn Coers
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
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13
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Vollmuth N, Schlicker L, Guo Y, Hovhannisyan P, Janaki-Raman S, Kurmasheva N, Schmitz W, Schulze A, Stelzner K, Rajeeve K, Rudel T. c-Myc plays a key role in IFN-γ-induced persistence of Chlamydia trachomatis. eLife 2022; 11:76721. [PMID: 36155135 PMCID: PMC9512400 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis (Ctr) can persist over extended times within their host cell and thereby establish chronic infections. One of the major inducers of chlamydial persistence is interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) released by immune cells as a mechanism of immune defence. IFN-γ activates the catabolic depletion of L-tryptophan (Trp) via indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), resulting in persistent Ctr. Here, we show that IFN-γ induces the downregulation of c-Myc, the key regulator of host cell metabolism, in a STAT1-dependent manner. Expression of c-Myc rescued Ctr from IFN-γ-induced persistence in cell lines and human fallopian tube organoids. Trp concentrations control c-Myc levels most likely via the PI3K-GSK3β axis. Unbiased metabolic analysis revealed that Ctr infection reprograms the host cell tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle to support pyrimidine biosynthesis. Addition of TCA cycle intermediates or pyrimidine/purine nucleosides to infected cells rescued Ctr from IFN-γ-induced persistence. Thus, our results challenge the longstanding hypothesis of Trp depletion through IDO as the major mechanism of IFN-γ-induced metabolic immune defence and significantly extends the understanding of the role of IFN-γ as a broad modulator of host cell metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Vollmuth
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Schlicker
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yongxia Guo
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.,College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Pargev Hovhannisyan
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | | | - Naziia Kurmasheva
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Werner Schmitz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Almut Schulze
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Kathrin Stelzner
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Karthika Rajeeve
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.,Pathogen Biology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Thomas Rudel
- Department of Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
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14
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Edwards VL, McComb E, Gleghorn JP, Forney L, Bavoil PM, Ravel J. Three-dimensional models of the cervicovaginal epithelia to study host-microbiome interactions and sexually transmitted infections. Pathog Dis 2022; 80:6655985. [PMID: 35927516 PMCID: PMC9419571 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftac026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
2D cell culture systems have historically provided controlled, reproducible means to analyze host-pathogen interactions observed in the human reproductive tract. Although inexpensive, straightforward, and requiring a very short time commitment, these models recapitulate neither the functionality of multilayered cell types nor the associated microbiome that occurs in a human. Animal models have commonly been used to recreate the complexity of human infections. However, extensive modifications of animal models are required to recreate interactions that resemble those in the human reproductive tract. 3D cell culture models have emerged as alternative means of reproducing vital elements of human infections at a fraction of the cost of animal models and on a scale that allows for replicative experiments. Here, we describe a new 3D model that utilizes transwells with epithelial cells seeded apically and a basolateral extracellular matrix (ECM)-like layer. The model produced tissues with morphologic and physiological resemblance to human cervical and vaginal epithelia, including mucus levels produced by cervical cells. Infection by Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae was demonstrated, as well as the growth of bacterial species observed in the human vaginal microbiota. This enabled controlled mechanistic analyses of the interactions between host cells, the vaginal microbiota, and STI pathogens. Affordable and semi high-throughput 3D models of the cervicovaginal epithelia that are physiologically relevant by sustaining vaginal bacterial colonization, and facilitate studies of chlamydial and gonococcal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vonetta L Edwards
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - Jason P Gleghorn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
| | - Larry Forney
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Patrik M Bavoil
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jacques Ravel
- Corresponding author: Institute for Genome Sciences and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Health Science Research Facility (HSRDF), 670 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States. Tel: +1 410-706-5674; E-mail:
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15
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Wang L, Hou Y, Yuan H, Chen H. The role of tryptophan in Chlamydia trachomatis persistence. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:931653. [PMID: 35982780 PMCID: PMC9378776 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.931653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) is the most common etiological agent of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and a worldwide public health issue. The natural course with C. trachomatis infection varies widely between individuals. Some infections clear spontaneously, others can last for several months or some individuals can become reinfected, leading to severe pathological damage. Importantly, the underlying mechanisms of C. trachomatis infection are not fully understood. C. trachomatis has the ability to adapt to immune response and persist within host epithelial cells. Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) induced by interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) degrades the intracellular tryptophan pool, to which C. trachomatis can respond by converting to a non-replicating but viable state. C. trachomatis expresses and encodes for the tryptophan synthase (TS) genes (trpA and trpB) and tryptophan repressor gene (trpR). Multiple genes interact to regulate tryptophan synthesis from exogenous indole, and persistent C. trachomatis can recover its infectivity by converting indole into tryptophan. In this review, we discuss the characteristics of chlamydial infections, biosynthesis and regulation of tryptophan, the relationship between tryptophan and C. trachomatis, and finally, the links between the tryptophan/IFN-γ axis and C. trachomatis persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Chenzhou No.1 People’s Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Chenzhou No.1 People’s Hospital, Chenzhou, China
| | - YingLan Hou
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Chenzhou No.1 People’s Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Chenzhou No.1 People’s Hospital, Chenzhou, China
| | - HongXia Yuan
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Chenzhou No.1 People’s Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Chenzhou No.1 People’s Hospital, Chenzhou, China
| | - Hongliang Chen
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Chenzhou No.1 People’s Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Chenzhou No.1 People’s Hospital, Chenzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Hongliang Chen,
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16
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Hou K, Wu ZX, Chen XY, Wang JQ, Zhang D, Xiao C, Zhu D, Koya JB, Wei L, Li J, Chen ZS. Microbiota in health and diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:135. [PMID: 35461318 PMCID: PMC9034083 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-00974-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 650] [Impact Index Per Article: 325.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of microbiota in health and diseases is being highlighted by numerous studies since its discovery. Depending on the localized regions, microbiota can be classified into gut, oral, respiratory, and skin microbiota. The microbial communities are in symbiosis with the host, contributing to homeostasis and regulating immune function. However, microbiota dysbiosis can lead to dysregulation of bodily functions and diseases including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers, respiratory diseases, etc. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge of how microbiota links to host health or pathogenesis. We first summarize the research of microbiota in healthy conditions, including the gut-brain axis, colonization resistance and immune modulation. Then, we highlight the pathogenesis of microbiota dysbiosis in disease development and progression, primarily associated with dysregulation of community composition, modulation of host immune response, and induction of chronic inflammation. Finally, we introduce the clinical approaches that utilize microbiota for disease treatment, such as microbiota modulation and fecal microbial transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaijian Hou
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Longhu Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515000, China
| | - Zhuo-Xun Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute for Biotechnology, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Xuan-Yu Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute for Biotechnology, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Jing-Quan Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute for Biotechnology, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Dongya Zhang
- Microbiome Research Center, Moon (Guangzhou) Biotech Ltd, Guangzhou, 510535, China
| | - Chuanxing Xiao
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Longhu Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515000, China
| | - Dan Zhu
- Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Longhu Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515000, China
| | - Jagadish B Koya
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute for Biotechnology, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Liuya Wei
- School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, 261053, China
| | - Jilin Li
- Department of Cardiovascular, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515000, China
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute for Biotechnology, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA
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17
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Kacerovsky M, Romero R, Pliskova L, Bolehovska R, Hornychova H, Matejkova A, Vosmikova H, Andrys C, Kolackova M, Laudański P, Pelantova V, Jacobsson B, Musilova I. Presence of Chlamydia trachomatis DNA in the amniotic fluid in women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2021; 34:1586-1597. [PMID: 31272257 PMCID: PMC7062296 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2019.1640676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The primary aim of this study was to assess the rate and load of amniotic fluid Chlamydia trachomatis DNA and their associations with intra-amniotic infection and intra-uterine inflammatory complications in women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM). The secondary aim was to assess the short-term morbidity of newborns from PPROM pregnancies complicated by amniotic fluid C. trachomatis DNA. METHODS A retrospective study of 788 women with singleton pregnancies complicated by PPROM between 24 + 0 and 36 + 6 weeks of gestation was performed. Transabdominal amniocenteses were performed at the time of admission. C. trachomatis DNA in the amniotic fluid was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction using a commercial AmpliSens® C. trachomatis/Ureaplasma/Mycoplasma hominis-FRT kit, and the level of Ct DNA was quantified. RESULTS Amniotic fluid C. trachomatis DNA complicated 2% (16/788) of the PPROM pregnancies and was present in very low loads (median 57 copies DNA/mL). In addition to amniotic fluid C. trachomatis DNA, other bacteria were detected in 62% (10/16) of the C. trachomatis DNA-complicated PPROM pregnancies. Amniotic fluid C. trachomatis DNA was associated with intra-amniotic infection, histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA), and funisitis in 31%, 47%, and 33%, respectively. The presence of C. trachomatis DNA accompanied by Ureaplasma species in the amniotic fluid was associated with a higher rate of HCA than the presence of amniotic fluid C. trachomatis DNA alone. The composite neonatal morbidity in newborns from PPROM pregnancies with amniotic fluid C. trachomatis DNA was 31%. CONCLUSION The presence of C. trachomatis DNA in the amniotic fluid is a relatively rare condition in PPROM. Amniotic fluid C. trachomatis DNA in PPROM is not related to intensive intra-amniotic and intr-auterine inflammatory responses or adverse short-term neonatal outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian Kacerovsky
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Lenka Pliskova
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Diagnostics, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Radka Bolehovska
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Diagnostics, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Helena Hornychova
- The Fingerland Department of Pathology, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Adela Matejkova
- The Fingerland Department of Pathology, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Vosmikova
- The Fingerland Department of Pathology, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Ctirad Andrys
- Department of Clinical immunology and Allergy, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove
| | - Martina Kolackova
- Department of Clinical immunology and Allergy, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove
| | - Piotr Laudański
- 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland
| | - Vera Pelantova
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Bo Jacobsson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Domain of Health Data and Digitalisation, Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ivana Musilova
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
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18
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Mott PD, Taylor CM, Lillis RA, Ardizzone CM, Albritton HL, Luo M, Calabresi KG, Martin DH, Myers L, Quayle AJ. Differences in the Genital Microbiota in Women Who Naturally Clear Chlamydia trachomatis Infection Compared to Women Who Do Not Clear; A Pilot Study. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:615770. [PMID: 33912473 PMCID: PMC8072278 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.615770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In vitro studies indicate IFNγ is central to Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) eradication, but its function may be compromised by anaerobes typically associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV), a frequent co-morbidity in women with Ct. Here we investigated the associations between natural clearance of cervical Ct infection, the vaginal microbiome, and the requirements for IFNγ by evaluating the vaginal microbial and cytokine composition of Ct treatment visit samples from women who cleared Ct infection in the interim between their Ct screening and Ct treatment visit. The pilot cohort was young, predominantly African American, and characterized by a high rate of BV that was treated with metronidazole at the Ct screening visit. The rate of natural Ct clearance was 23.6% by the Ct treatment visit (median 9 days). 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that metronidazole-treated women who had a Lactobacillus spp.-dominant vaginal microbiota (CST 2 or 3) at the Ct treatment visit, were more prevalent in the Ct clearing population than the non-clearing population (86% v. 50%). L. iners (CST2) was the major Lactobacillus spp. present in Ct clearers, and 33% still remained anaerobe-dominant (CST1). Vaginal IFNγ levels were not significantly different in Ct clearers and non-clearers and were several logs lower than that required for killing Ct in vitro. An expanded panel of IFNγ-induced and proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines also did not reveal differences between Ct clearers and non-clearers, but, rather, suggested signatures better associated with specific CSTs. Taken together, these findings suggest that BV-associated bacteria may impede Ct clearance, but a Lactobacillus spp.-dominant microbiome is not an absolute requirement to clear. Further, IFNγ may be required at lower concentrations than in vitro modeling indicates, suggesting it may act together with other factors in vivo. Data also revealed that the vaginal bacteria-driven inflammation add complexity to the genital cytokine milieu, but changes in this microbiota may contribute to, or provide cytokine biomarkers, for a shift to Ct clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Dehon Mott
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Christopher M. Taylor
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Rebecca A. Lillis
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Caleb M. Ardizzone
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Hannah L. Albritton
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Meng Luo
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Kaitlyn G. Calabresi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - David H. Martin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Leann Myers
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Alison J. Quayle
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
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19
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D Helble J, N Starnbach M. T cell responses to Chlamydia. Pathog Dis 2021; 79:6164867. [PMID: 33693620 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftab014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis is the most commonly reported sexually transmitted infection in the United States. The high prevalence of infection and lack of a vaccine indicate a critical knowledge gap surrounding the host's response to infection and how to effectively generate protective immunity. The immune response to C. trachomatis is complex, with cells of the adaptive immune system playing a crucial role in bacterial clearance. Here, we discuss the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell response to Chlamydia, the importance of antigen specificity and the role of memory T cells during the recall response. Ultimately, a deeper understanding of protective immune responses is necessary to develop a vaccine that prevents the inflammatory diseases associated with Chlamydia infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer D Helble
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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20
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Li H, Zang Y, Wang C, Li H, Fan A, Han C, Xue F. The Interaction Between Microorganisms, Metabolites, and Immune System in the Female Genital Tract Microenvironment. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:609488. [PMID: 33425785 PMCID: PMC7785791 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.609488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The female reproductive tract microenvironment includes microorganisms, metabolites, and immune components, and the balance of the interactions among them plays an important role in maintaining female reproductive tract homeostasis and health. When any one of the reproductive tract microorganisms, metabolites, or immunity is out of balance, it will affect the other two, leading to the occurrence and development of diseases and the appearance of corresponding symptoms and signs, such as infertility, miscarriage, premature delivery, and gynecological tumors caused by infectious diseases of the reproductive tract. Nutrients in the female reproductive tract provide symbiotic and pathogenic microorganisms with a source of nutrients for their own reproduction and utilization. At the same time, this interaction with the host forms a variety of metabolites. Changes in metabolites in the host reproductive tract are related not only to the interaction between the host and microbiota under dysbiosis but also to changes in host immunity or the environment, all of which will participate in the pathogenesis of diseases and lead to disease-related phenotypes. Microorganisms and their metabolites can also interact with host immunity, activate host immunity, and change the host immune status and are closely related to persistent genital pathogen infections, aggravation of infectious diseases, severe pregnancy outcomes, and even gynecological cancers. Therefore, studying the interaction between microorganisms, metabolites, and immunity in the reproductive tract cannot only reveal the pathogenic mechanisms that lead to inflammation of the reproductive tract, adverse pregnancy outcomes and tumorigenesis but also provide a basis for further research on the diagnosis and treatment of targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanrong Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuqin Zang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Huiyang Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Aiping Fan
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Cha Han
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Fengxia Xue
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenic, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
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21
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Doyle C, Swain WA, Swain Ewald HA, Ewald PW. Inflammation, infection and depression: an evolutionary perspective. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2019; 1:e14. [PMID: 37588396 PMCID: PMC10427271 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2019.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary basis for clinical depression is not well understood. A growing body of literature that is not based on evolutionary logic links inflammation to depression. Integration of these findings with an evolutionary framework for depression, however, needs to address the reasons why the body's inflammatory response would be regulated so poorly that it would result in incapacitating depression. Pathogen induction of inflammation offers an explanation, but the extent to which the association between inflammation and depression can be attributed to general inflammation as opposed to particular effects of pro-inflammatory pathogens remains unclear. This paper reports a study of sexually transmitted pathogens, which addresses this issue. Although several sexually transmitted pathogens were associated with depression according to bivariate tests, only Chlamydia trachomatis and Trichomonas vaginalis were significantly associated with depression by a multivariate analysis that accounted for correlations among the pathogens. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that infection may contribute to depression through induction of tryptophan restriction, and a consequent depletion of serotonin. It reinforces the idea that some depression may be caused by specific pathogens in specific evolutionary arms races with their human host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Doyle
- Department of Biology, Bellarmine University, Louisville, KY40205, USA
| | - Walker A. Swain
- Department of Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy, University of Georgia, Athens, GA30602, USA
| | - Holly A. Swain Ewald
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY40292, USA
| | - Paul W. Ewald
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY40292, USA
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22
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Pekmezovic M, Mogavero S, Naglik JR, Hube B. Host-Pathogen Interactions during Female Genital Tract Infections. Trends Microbiol 2019; 27:982-996. [PMID: 31451347 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Dysbiosis in the female genital tract (FGT) is characterized by the overgrowth of pathogenic bacterial, fungal, or protozoan members of the microbiota, leading to symptomatic or asymptomatic infections. In this review, we discuss recent advances in studies dealing with molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity factors of Gardnerella vaginalis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma hominis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Streptococcus agalactiae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Candida spp., as well as their interactions with the host and microbiota in the various niches of the FGT. Taking a holistic approach to identifying fundamental commonalities and differences during these infections could help us to better understand reproductive tract health and improve current prevention and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Pekmezovic
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Selene Mogavero
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Julian R Naglik
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Bernhard Hube
- Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Hans Knoell Institute, Jena, Germany; Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany. @leibniz-hki.de
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23
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Dheilly NM, Ewald PW, Brindley PJ, Fichorova RN, Thomas F. Parasite-microbe-host interactions and cancer risk. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007912. [PMID: 31415672 PMCID: PMC6695093 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nolwenn M. Dheilly
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
| | - Paul W. Ewald
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Paul J. Brindley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine and Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Raina N. Fichorova
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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24
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Somboonna N, Ziklo N, Ferrin TE, Hyuk Suh J, Dean D. Clinical Persistence of Chlamydia trachomatis Sexually Transmitted Strains Involves Novel Mutations in the Functional αββα Tetramer of the Tryptophan Synthase Operon. mBio 2019; 10:e01464-19. [PMID: 31311884 PMCID: PMC6635532 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01464-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical persistence of Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is a major public health concern. In vitro persistence is known to develop through interferon gamma (IFN-γ) induction of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), which catabolizes tryptophan, an essential amino acid for Ct replication. The organism can recover from persistence by synthesizing tryptophan from indole, a substrate for the enzyme tryptophan synthase. The majority of Ct strains, except for reference strain B/TW-5/OT, contain an operon comprised of α and β subunits that encode TrpA and TrpB, respectively, and form a functional αββα tetramer. However, trpA mutations in ocular Ct strains, which are responsible for the blinding eye disease known as trachoma, abrogate tryptophan synthesis from indole. We examined serial urogenital samples from a woman who had recurrent Ct infections over 4 years despite antibiotic treatment. The Ct isolates from each infection episode were genome sequenced and analyzed for phenotypic, structural, and functional characteristics. All isolates contained identical mutations in trpA and developed aberrant bodies within intracellular inclusions, visualized by transmission electron microscopy, even when supplemented with indole following IFN-γ treatment. Each isolate displayed an altered αββα structure, could not synthesize tryptophan from indole, and had significantly lower trpBA expression but higher intracellular tryptophan levels compared with those of reference Ct strain F/IC-Cal3. Our data indicate that emergent mutations in the tryptophan operon, which were previously thought to be restricted only to ocular Ct strains, likely resulted in in vivo persistence in the described patient and represents a novel host-pathogen adaptive strategy for survival.IMPORTANCEChlamydia trachomatis (Ct) is the most common sexually transmitted bacterium with more than 131 million cases occurring annually worldwide. Ct infections are often asymptomatic, persisting for many years despite treatment. In vitro recovery from persistence occurs when indole is utilized by the organism's tryptophan synthase to synthesize tryptophan, an essential amino acid for replication. Ocular but not urogenital Ct strains contain mutations in the synthase that abrogate tryptophan synthesis. Here, we discovered that the genomes of serial isolates from a woman with recurrent, treated Ct STIs over many years were identical with a novel synthase mutation. This likely allowed long-term in vivo persistence where active infection resumed only when tryptophan became available. Our findings indicate an emerging adaptive host-pathogen evolutionary strategy for survival in the urogenital tract that will prompt the field to further explore chlamydial persistence, evaluate the genetics of mutant Ct strains and fitness within the host, and their implications for disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naraporn Somboonna
- Center for Immunobiology and Vaccine Development, University of California San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Noa Ziklo
- Center for Immunobiology and Vaccine Development, University of California San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Thomas E Ferrin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jung Hyuk Suh
- Center for Immunobiology and Vaccine Development, University of California San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Deborah Dean
- Center for Immunobiology and Vaccine Development, University of California San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, California, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Berkeley and University of California San Francisco Joint Graduate Group, Berkeley and San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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25
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Virok DP, Raffai T, Kókai D, Paróczai D, Bogdanov A, Veres G, Vécsei L, Poliska S, Tiszlavicz L, Somogyvári F, Endrész V, Burián K. Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase Activity in Chlamydia muridarum and Chlamydia pneumoniae Infected Mouse Lung Tissues. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:192. [PMID: 31249813 PMCID: PMC6582659 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis infections are the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections with potentially debilitating sequelae, such as infertility. Mouse models are generally used for vaccine development, to study the immune response and histopathology associated with Chlamydia infection. An important question regarding murine models is the in vivo identification of murine host genes responsible for the elimination of the murine and human Chlamydia strains. RNA sequencing of the Chlamydia muridarum infected BALB/c lung transcriptome revealed that several genes with direct antichlamydial functions were induced at the tissue level, including the already described and novel members of the murine interferon-inducible GTPase family, the CXCL chemokines CXCL9, CXCL11, immunoresponsive gene 1, nitric oxide synthase-2 (iNOS), and lipocalin-2. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1-2 (IDO1-2) previously described potent antichlamydial host enzymes were also highly expressed in the infected murine lungs. This finding was novel, since IDO was considered as a unique human antichlamydial defense gene. Besides a lower level of epithelial cell positivity, immunohistochemistry showed that IDO1-2 proteins were expressed prominently in macrophages. Detection of the tryptophan degradation product kynurenine and the impact of IDO inhibition on Chlamydia muridarum growth proved that the IDO1-2 proteins were functionally active. IDO1-2 activity also increased in Chlamydia muridarum infected C57BL/6 lung tissues, indicating that this phenomenon is not mouse strain specific. Our study shows that the murine antichlamydial response includes a variety of highly up-regulated defense genes in vivo. Among these genes the antichlamydial effectors IDO1-2 were identified. The potential impact of murine IDO1-2 expression on Chlamydia propagation needs further investigation.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Chemokine CXCL11/genetics
- Chemokine CXCL11/metabolism
- Chemokine CXCL9/genetics
- Chemokine CXCL9/metabolism
- Chemokines/genetics
- Chemokines/metabolism
- Chlamydia Infections/genetics
- Chlamydia Infections/metabolism
- Chlamydia Infections/microbiology
- Chlamydia Infections/pathology
- Chlamydia muridarum/drug effects
- Chlamydia muridarum/metabolism
- Chlamydophila pneumoniae/drug effects
- Chlamydophila pneumoniae/metabolism
- Disease Models, Animal
- Enzyme Inhibitors/metabolism
- Epithelial Cells/metabolism
- Epithelial Cells/pathology
- Female
- Gene Expression
- Humans
- Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/drug effects
- Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/genetics
- Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/metabolism
- Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/pharmacology
- Kynurenine
- Lipocalin-2/genetics
- Lipocalin-2/metabolism
- Lung/metabolism
- Lung/pathology
- Macrophages/metabolism
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/genetics
- Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/metabolism
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Transcriptome
- Tryptophan/analogs & derivatives
- Tryptophan/antagonists & inhibitors
- Tryptophan/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Dezső P. Virok
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Tímea Raffai
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Dávid Kókai
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Dóra Paróczai
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Anita Bogdanov
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor Veres
- MTA-SZTE Neuroscience Research Group, Szeged, Hungary
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - László Vécsei
- MTA-SZTE Neuroscience Research Group, Szeged, Hungary
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Szilárd Poliska
- Genomic Medicine and Bioinformatics Core Facility, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - László Tiszlavicz
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Somogyvári
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Valéria Endrész
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Katalin Burián
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
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How Chlamydia trachomatis conquered gut microbiome-derived antimicrobial compounds and found a new home in the eye. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:12136-12138. [PMID: 31164418 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1907647116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
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27
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Selected Immunological Mediators and Cervical Microbial Signatures in Women with Chlamydia trachomatis Infection. mSystems 2019; 4:4/4/e00094-19. [PMID: 31164450 PMCID: PMC6550367 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00094-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In the female genital ecosystem, the complex interplay between the host immune system and the resident microflora protects against urogenital pathogens, like Chlamydia trachomatis C. trachomatis is responsible for urethritis and cervicitis; however, most chlamydial infections are asymptomatic and, thus, not treated, potentially leading to severe reproductive sequelae. Here we investigated the interaction between the levels of selected immune mediators and the community state types of the cervical microbiota in C. trachomatis-infected women. Cervical samples from 42 C. trachomatis-positive women and 103 matched healthy controls were analyzed through the metagenomic analysis of the hypervariable region v4 of the 16S rRNA gene and the determination of lactoferrin, interleukin 1α (IL-1α), IL-6, alpha interferon (IFN-α), IFN-β, and IFN-γ by ELISA. Overall, C. trachomatis infection was significantly associated with a microbiota dominated by anaerobic bacteria (P = 0.000002). In addition, a network of Gardnerella vaginalis, Prevotella amnii, Prevotella buccalis, Prevotella timonensis, Aerococcus christensenii, and Variovorax guangxiensis has been identified as a potential biomarker of C. trachomatis infection through multiple statistical approaches. Again, chlamydial infection was significantly correlated with an increased production of lactoferrin, IL-6, IL-1α, IFN-α, and IFN-β (P < 0.05), whereas very low levels of IFN-γ were observed in C. trachomatis-infected women, levels similar to those detected in healthy women. Our findings show a distinctive signature of C. trachomatis genital infection, characterized by a specific bacterial network, constituted by anaerobes, as well as by increased levels of lactoferrin and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-6, IFN-α, and IFN-β), accompanied by low levels of IFN-γ.IMPORTANCE To our knowledge, this is the first study that investigated the association of C. trachomatis with the cervical levels of lactoferrin and selected inflammatory mediators and their correlation with the different community state types characterizing the female genital ecosystem. C. trachomatis, known as the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases, continues to be an important public health problem worldwide for its increasing incidence and the risk of developing severe reproductive sequelae, like pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Specifically, C. trachomatis tend to persist in the female genital tract, leading to a chronic inflammatory state characterized by increased production of immune mediators responsible for tissue damage. Therefore, our study may help to broaden the knowledge on the complex interplay between the female genital microbiota and the host immune system in response to C. trachomatis infection.
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28
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Di Pietro M, Filardo S, Romano S, Sessa R. Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae Interaction with the Host: Latest Advances and Future Prospective. Microorganisms 2019; 7:microorganisms7050140. [PMID: 31100923 PMCID: PMC6560445 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7050140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Research in Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae has gained new traction due to recent advances in molecular biology, namely the widespread use of the metagenomic analysis and the development of a stable genomic transformation system, resulting in a better understanding of Chlamydia pathogenesis. C. trachomatis, the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases, is responsible of cervicitis and urethritis, and C. pneumoniae, a widespread respiratory pathogen, has long been associated with several chronic inflammatory diseases with great impact on public health. The present review summarizes the current evidence regarding the complex interplay between C. trachomatis and host defense factors in the genital micro-environment as well as the key findings in chronic inflammatory diseases associated to C. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Di Pietro
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Section of Microbiology, University of Rome "Sapienza", 00185 Rome, Italy.
| | - Simone Filardo
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Section of Microbiology, University of Rome "Sapienza", 00185 Rome, Italy.
| | - Silvio Romano
- Cardiology, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy.
| | - Rosa Sessa
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Section of Microbiology, University of Rome "Sapienza", 00185 Rome, Italy.
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29
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Ammonia generation by tryptophan synthase drives a key genetic difference between genital and ocular Chlamydia trachomatis isolates. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:12468-12477. [PMID: 31097582 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1821652116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A striking difference between genital and ocular clinical isolates of Chlamydia trachomatis is that only the former express a functional tryptophan synthase and therefore can synthesize tryptophan by indole salvage. Ocular isolates uniformly cannot use indole due to inactivating mutations within tryptophan synthase, indicating a selection against maintaining this enzyme in the ocular environment. Here, we demonstrate that this selection occurs in two steps. First, specific indole derivatives, produced by the human gut microbiome and present in serum, rapidly induce expression of C. trachomatis tryptophan synthase, even under conditions of tryptophan sufficiency. We demonstrate that these indole derivatives function by acting as de-repressors of C. trachomatis TrpR. Second, trp operon de-repression is profoundly deleterious when infected cells are in an indole-deficient environment, because in the absence of indole, tryptophan synthase deaminates serine to pyruvate and ammonia. We have used biochemical and genetic approaches to demonstrate that expression of wild-type tryptophan synthase is required for the bactericidal production of ammonia. Pertinently, although these indole derivatives de-repress the trpRBA operon of C. trachomatis strains with trpA or trpB mutations, no ammonia is produced, and no deleterious effects are observed. Our studies demonstrate that tryptophan synthase can catalyze the ammonia-generating β-elimination reaction within any live bacterium. Our results also likely explain previous observations demonstrating that the same indole derivatives inhibit the growth of other pathogenic bacterial species, and why high serum levels of these indole derivatives are favorable for the prognosis of diseased conditions associated with bacterial dysbiosis.
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30
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Human Papilloma Virus and Chlamydia trachomatis: Casual Acquaintances or Partners in Crime? CURRENT CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40588-019-00117-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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31
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Panzetta ME, Luján AL, Bastidas RJ, Damiani MT, Valdivia RH, Saka HA. Ptr/CTL0175 Is Required for the Efficient Recovery of Chlamydia trachomatis From Stress Induced by Gamma-Interferon. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:756. [PMID: 31024512 PMCID: PMC6467971 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial pathogen in humans and a frequent cause of asymptomatic, persistent infections leading to serious complications, particularly in young women. Chlamydia displays a unique obligate intracellular lifestyle involving the infectious elementary body and the replicative reticulate body. In the presence of stressors such as gamma-interferon (IFNγ) or beta-lactam antibiotics, C. trachomatis undergoes an interruption in its replication cycle and enters a viable but non-cultivable state. Upon removal of the stressors, surviving C. trachomatis resume cell division and developmental transitions. In this report, we describe a genetic screen to identify C. trachomatis mutants with defects in recovery from IFNγ- and/or penicillin-induced stress and characterized a chemically derived C. trachomatis mutant strain that exhibited a significant decrease in recovery from IFNγ- but not penicillin-induced stress. Through lateral gene transfer and targeted insertional gene inactivation we identified ptr, encoding a predicted protease, as a gene required for recovery from IFNγ-induced stress. A C. trachomatis LGV-L2 ptr-null strain displayed reduced generation of infectious progeny and impaired genome replication upon removal of IFNγ. This defect was restored by introducing a wild type copy of ptr on a plasmid, indicating that Ptr is required for a rapid growth upon removal of IFNγ. Ptr was expressed throughout the developmental cycle and localized to the inclusion lumen. Overall, our findings indicate that the putative secreted protease Ptr is required for C. trachomatis to specifically recover from IFNγ- but not penicillin-induced stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- María E Panzetta
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina.,Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Agustín L Luján
- Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo, CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina.,Área de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Robert J Bastidas
- Center for Host-Microbe Interactions, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - María T Damiani
- Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo, CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina.,Área de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Raphael H Valdivia
- Center for Host-Microbe Interactions, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Héctor A Saka
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología, CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina.,Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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Vaginal Gel Component Hydroxyethyl Cellulose Significantly Enhances the Infectivity of Chlamydia trachomatis Serovars D and E. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018; 63:AAC.02034-18. [PMID: 30373805 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02034-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The transmission of the urogenital serovars of Chlamydia trachomatis can be significantly influenced by vaginal gels. Hydroxyethyl cellulose is a commonly used gelling agent that can be found in vaginal gels. Hydroxyethyl cellulose showed a concentration-dependent growth-enhancing effect on C. trachomatis serovars D and E, with a 26.1-fold maximal increase in vitro and a 2.57-fold increase in vivo.
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O'Neill CE, Skilton RJ, Pearson SA, Filardo S, Andersson P, Clarke IN. Genetic Transformation of a C. trachomatis Ocular Isolate With the Functional Tryptophan Synthase Operon Confers an Indole-Rescuable Phenotype. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:434. [PMID: 30619780 PMCID: PMC6302012 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading cause of preventable blindness and the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection. Different strains are associated with ocular or urogenital infections, and a proposed mechanism that may explain this tissue tropism is the active tryptophan biosynthesis pathway encoded by the genomic trpRBA operon in urogenital strains. Here we describe genetic complementation studies that are essential to confirm the role of tryptophan synthase in the context of an ocular C. trachomatis genomic background. Ocular strain A2497 was transformed with the (urogenital) pSW2::GFP shuttle vector showing that there is no strain tropism barrier to this plasmid vector; moreover, transformation had no detrimental effect on the growth kinetics of A2497, which is important given the low transformation efficiency of C. trachomatis. A derivative of the pSW2::GFP vector was used to deliver the active tryptophan biosynthesis genes from a urogenital strain of C. trachomatis (Soton D1) to A2497 with the aim of complementing the truncated trpA gene common to most ocular strains. After confirmation of intact TrpA protein expression in the transformed A2497, the resulting transformants were cultivated in tryptophan-depleted medium with and without indole or tryptophan, showing that complementation of the truncated trpA gene by the intact and functional urogenital trpRBA operon was sufficient to bestow an indole rescuable phenotype upon A2497. This study proves that pSW2::GFP derived vectors do not conform to the cross-strain transformation barrier reported for other chlamydia shuttle vectors, suggesting these as a universal vector for transformation of all C. trachomatis strains. This vector promiscuity enabled us to test the indole rescue hypothesis by transforming ocular strain A2497 with the functional urogenital trpRBA operon, which complemented the non-functional tryptophan synthase. These data confirm that the trpRBA operon is necessary and sufficient for chlamydia to survive in tryptophan-limited environments such as the female urogenital tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colette Elizabeth O'Neill
- Molecular Microbiology Group, Department of Clinical and Experimental Science, Southampton General Hospital, University Medical School, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Jane Skilton
- Molecular Microbiology Group, Department of Clinical and Experimental Science, Southampton General Hospital, University Medical School, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Ann Pearson
- Molecular Microbiology Group, Department of Clinical and Experimental Science, Southampton General Hospital, University Medical School, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Simone Filardo
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Patiyan Andersson
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Ian Nicholas Clarke
- Molecular Microbiology Group, Department of Clinical and Experimental Science, Southampton General Hospital, University Medical School, Southampton, United Kingdom
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Panzetta ME, Valdivia RH, Saka HA. Chlamydia Persistence: A Survival Strategy to Evade Antimicrobial Effects in-vitro and in-vivo. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:3101. [PMID: 30619180 PMCID: PMC6299033 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Chlamydiaceae comprise a group of highly adapted bacterial pathogens sharing a unique intracellular lifestyle. Three Chlamydia species are pathogenic to humans: Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Chlamydia psittaci. C. trachomatis is the leading bacterial cause of sexually-transmitted infections and infectious blindness worldwide. Chlamydia pneumoniae is a major cause of community-acquired atypical pneumonia. C. psittaci primarily affects psittacine birds and can be transmitted to humans causing psittacosis, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia. As opposed to other bacterial pathogens, the spread of clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance genes does not seem to be a major problem for the treatment of Chlamydia infections. However, when exposed to stressing conditions, like those arising from exposure to antimicrobial stimuli, these bacteria undergo a temporary interruption in their replication cycle and enter a viable but non-cultivable state known as persistence. When the stressing conditions are removed, Chlamydia resumes replication and generation of infectious particles. This review gives an overview of the different survival strategies used by Chlamydia to evade the deleterious effects of penicillin and IFNγ, with a focus on the different models used to study Chlamydia persistence, their contribution to elucidating the molecular basis of this complex phenomenon and their potential implications for studies in animal models of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Emilia Panzetta
- CIBICI-CONICET, Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Raphael H. Valdivia
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Hector Alex Saka
- CIBICI-CONICET, Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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Alvergne A, Vlajic Wheeler M, Högqvist Tabor V. Do sexually transmitted infections exacerbate negative premenstrual symptoms? Insights from digital health. Evol Med Public Health 2018; 2018:138-150. [PMID: 30090631 PMCID: PMC6070031 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoy018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The underlying reasons why some women experience debilitating premenstrual symptoms and others do not are largely unknown. Here, we test the evolutionary ecological hypothesis that some negative premenstrual symptoms may be exacerbated by the presence of chronic sexually transmitted infections (STIs). METHODOLOGY 34 511 women were recruited through a digital period-tracker app. Participants were asked: (i) Have you ever been diagnosed with a STI? (ii) If yes, when was it, and were you given treatment? Those data were combined with longitudinal cycle data on menstrual bleeding patterns, the experience of pain and emotions and hormonal contraceptive use. RESULTS 865 women had at least two complete menstrual cycle data and were eligible for analysis. Before diagnosis, the presence of an infection predicts a ca. 2-fold increase in the odds of reporting both headache, cramps and sadness during the late luteal phase and sensitive emotions during the wider luteal phase. After diagnosis, the odds of reporting negative symptoms pre-menstrually remain unchanged among STI negative individuals, but the odds of reporting sensitive emotions decrease among STI positive individuals receiving a treatment. No relationships between STIs, pain and emotions are observed among hormonal contraceptive users. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The results support the idea that a negative premenstrual experience might be aggravated by the presence of undiagnosed STIs, a leading cause of infertility worldwide. Caution is warranted in extrapolating the results as the data are self-reported, inflammatory levels are unknown and the tracker is biased towards recording negative premenstrual symptoms among Western individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Alvergne
- School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Vedrana Högqvist Tabor
- 2018 BOOST THYROID BY VLM HEALTH UG, Pufendorfstrasse 7, Berlin, Germany
- Stanford-SPARK, Berlin, Germany
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Characterization of Chlamydial Rho and the Role of Rho-Mediated Transcriptional Polarity during Interferon Gamma-Mediated Tryptophan Limitation. Infect Immun 2018; 86:IAI.00240-18. [PMID: 29712731 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00240-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
As an obligate intracellular, developmentally regulated bacterium, Chlamydia is sensitive to amino acid fluctuations within its host cell. When human epithelial cells are treated with the cytokine interferon gamma (IFN-γ), the tryptophan (Trp)-degrading enzyme, indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase, is induced. Chlamydiae within such cells are starved for Trp and enter a state of so-called persistence. Chlamydia lacks the stringent response used by many eubacteria to respond to this stress. Unusually, chlamydial transcription is globally elevated during Trp starvation with transcripts for Trp codon-containing genes disproportionately increased. Yet, the presence of Trp codons destabilized 3' ends of transcripts in operons or large genes. We initially hypothesized that ribosome stalling on Trp codons rendered the 3' ends sensitive to RNase activity. The half-life of chlamydial transcripts containing different numbers of Trp codons was thus measured in untreated and IFN-γ-treated infected cells to determine whether Trp codons influenced the stability of transcripts. However, no effect of Trp codon content was detected. Therefore, we investigated whether Rho-dependent transcription termination could play a role in mediating transcript instability. Rho is expressed as a midcycle gene product, interacts with itself as predicted, and is present in all chlamydial species. Inhibition of Rho via the Rho-specific antibiotic, bicyclomycin, and overexpression of Rho are detrimental to chlamydiae. Finally, when we measured transcript abundance 3' to Trp codons in the presence of bicyclomycin, we observed that transcript abundance increased. These data are the first to demonstrate the importance of Rho in Chlamydia and the role of Rho-dependent transcription polarity during persistence.
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Madden D, Whaite A, Jones E, Belov K, Timms P, Polkinghorne A. Koala immunology and infectious diseases: How much can the koala bear? DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 82:177-185. [PMID: 29382557 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2018.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Revised: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases are contributing to the decline of the iconic Australian marsupial, the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). Infections with the obligate intracellular bacteria, Chlamydia pecorum, cause debilitating ocular and urogenital-tract disease while the koala-retrovirus (KoRV) has been implicated in host immunosuppression and exacerbation of chlamydial pathogenesis. Although histological studies have provided insight into the basic architecture of koala immune tissues, our understanding of the koala immune response to infectious disease has been limited, until recently, by a lack of species-specific immune reagents. Recent advances in the characterisation of key immune genes have focused on advancing our understanding of the immune response to Chlamydia infection, revealing commonalities in disease pathologies and immunity between koalas and other hosts and paving the way for the development of a koala Chlamydia vaccine. This review summarises these recent findings and highlights key aspects of the koala immune system requiring further attention with particular regard to their most prominent infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Madden
- Animal Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs 4556, Australia.
| | - Alessandra Whaite
- Animal Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs 4556, Australia.
| | - Elizabeth Jones
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Katherine Belov
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Peter Timms
- Animal Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs 4556, Australia.
| | - Adam Polkinghorne
- Animal Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs 4556, Australia.
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Parolin C, Foschi C, Laghi L, Zhu C, Banzola N, Gaspari V, D'Antuono A, Giordani B, Severgnini M, Consolandi C, Salvo M, Cevenini R, Vitali B, Marangoni A. Insights Into Vaginal Bacterial Communities and Metabolic Profiles of Chlamydia trachomatis Infection: Positioning Between Eubiosis and Dysbiosis. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:600. [PMID: 29643849 PMCID: PMC5883401 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The vaginal microbiota plays a crucial role in maintaining the health and functioning of the female genital tract, preventing the colonization of urogenital pathogens and sexually transmitted infections. In this study, we characterized the vaginal bacterial communities and the metabolome associated to Chlamydia trachomatis infection (CT: 20 women), compared to healthy condition (H: 22 women) and bacterial vaginosis (BV: 19 women). A microarray-based tool (VaginArray), implemented with a real-time PCR for Gardnerella vaginalis, was used to determine the vaginal bacterial composition, whereas the metabolic profiles were assessed by a proton-based nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy. CT infection was characterized by bacterial and metabolic signatures similar to healthy condition, even though higher amounts of Lactobacillus iners, as well as depletion of some amino acids, biogenic amines, and succinate marked CT infection. Moreover, the frequency of Lactobacillus crispatus was higher in asymptomatic CT-positive patients than in women with CT-correlated symptoms. We also confirmed the marked differences in the microbiome and metabolome between healthy and BV-affected women. In conclusion, we highlighted microbial and metabolic peculiarities of the vaginal ecosystem in the case of CT infection, even though further studies are needed to understand if the observed alterations precede the infection onset or if the pathogen itself perturbs the vaginal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Parolin
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudio Foschi
- Microbiology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luca Laghi
- Centre of Foodomics, Department of Agro-Food Science and Technology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Chenglin Zhu
- Centre of Foodomics, Department of Agro-Food Science and Technology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Banzola
- Dermatology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valeria Gaspari
- Dermatology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Antonietta D'Antuono
- Dermatology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Barbara Giordani
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Severgnini
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies - National Research Council, Milan, Italy
| | - Clarissa Consolandi
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies - National Research Council, Milan, Italy
| | - Melissa Salvo
- Microbiology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberto Cevenini
- Microbiology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Beatrice Vitali
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Antonella Marangoni
- Microbiology, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Chlamydia trachomatis: the Persistent Pathogen. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2017; 24:CVI.00203-17. [PMID: 28835360 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00203-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular bacterium whose only natural host is humans. Although presenting as asymptomatic in most women, genital tract chlamydial infections are a leading cause of pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal factor infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. C. trachomatis has evolved successful mechanisms to avoid destruction by autophagy and the host immune system and persist within host epithelial cells. The intracellular form of this organism, the reticulate body, can enter into a persistent nonreplicative but viable state under unfavorable conditions. The infectious form of the organism, the elementary body, is again generated when the immune attack subsides. In its persistent form, C. trachomatis ceases to produce its major structural and membrane components, but synthesis of its 60-kDa heat shock protein (hsp60) is greatly upregulated and released from the cell. The immune response to hsp60, perhaps exacerbated by repeated cycles of productive infection and persistence, may promote damage to fallopian tube epithelial cells, scar formation, and tubal occlusion. The chlamydial and human hsp60 proteins are very similar, and hsp60 is one of the first proteins produced by newly formed embryos. Thus, the development of immunity to epitopes in the chlamydial hsp60 that are also present in the corresponding human hsp60 may increase susceptibility to pregnancy failure in infected women. Delineation of host factors that increase the likelihood that C. trachomatis will avoid immune destruction and survive within host epithelial cells and utilization of this knowledge to design individualized preventative and treatment protocols are needed to more effectively combat infections by this persistent pathogen.
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Albritton HL, Kozlowski PA, Lillis RA, McGowin CL, Siren JD, Taylor SN, Ibana JA, Buckner LR, Shen L, Quayle AJ. A novel whole-bacterial enzyme linked-immunosorbant assay to quantify Chlamydia trachomatis specific antibodies reveals distinct differences between systemic and genital compartments. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0183101. [PMID: 28797112 PMCID: PMC5552291 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the leading sexually transmitted bacterial infection. The continued global burden of CT infection strongly predicates the need for a vaccine to supplement current chlamydial control programs. The correlates of protection against CT are currently unknown, but they must be carefully defined to guide vaccine design. The localized nature of chlamydial infection in columnar epithelial cells of the genital tract necessitates investigation of immunity at the site of infection. The purpose of this study was to develop a sensitive whole bacterial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to quantify and compare CT-specific IgG and IgA in sera and genital secretions from CT-infected women. To achieve this, elementary bodies (EBs) from two of the most common genital serovars (D and E) were attached to poly-L-lysine-coated microtiter plates with glutaraldehyde. EB attachment and integrity were verified by the presence of outer membrane antigens and the absence of bacterial cytoplasmic antigens. EB-specific IgG and IgA standards were developed by pooling sera with high titers of CT-specific antibodies from infected women. Serum, endocervical and vaginal secretions, and endocervical cytobrush specimens from CT-infected women were used to quantify CT-specific IgG and IgA which were then normalized to total IgG and IgA, respectively. Analyses of paired serum and genital samples revealed significantly higher proportions of EB-specific antibodies in genital secretions compared to sera. Cervical and vaginal secretions and cytobrush specimens had similar proportions of EB-specific antibodies, suggesting any one of these genital sampling techniques could be used to quantify CT-specific antibodies when appropriate normalization methodologies are implemented. Overall, these results illustrate the need to investigate genital tract CT antibody responses, and our assay provides a useful quantitative tool to assess natural immunity in defined clinical groups and CT vaccine trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah L. Albritton
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Pamela A. Kozlowski
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Rebecca A. Lillis
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Chris L. McGowin
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Julia D. Siren
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Stephanie N. Taylor
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Joyce A. Ibana
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, National Capital Region, Philippines
| | - Lyndsey R. Buckner
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Li Shen
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Alison J. Quayle
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Vidgen ME, Hanger J, Timms P. Microbiota composition of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) ocular and urogenital sites, and their association with Chlamydia infection and disease. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5239. [PMID: 28701755 PMCID: PMC5507983 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05454-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Disease caused by Chlamydia pecorum is characterised by ocular and urogenital infections that can lead to blindness and infertility in koalas. However, koalas that are infected with C. pecorum do not always progress to disease. In other host systems, the influence of the microbiota has been implicated in either accelerating or preventing infections progressing to disease. This study investigates the contribution of koala urogenital and ocular microbiota to Chlamydia infection and disease in a free ranging koala population. Using univariate and multivariate analysis, it was found that reproductive status in females and sexual maturation in males, were defining features in the koala urogenital microbiota. Changes in the urogenital microbiota of koalas is correlated with infection by the common pathogen, C. pecorum. The correlation of microbiota composition and C. pecorum infection is suggestive of members of the microbiota being involved in the acceleration or prevention of infections progressing to disease. The analysis also suggests that multiple microbes are likely to be associated with this process of disease progression, rather than a single organism. While other Chlamydia-like organisms were also detected, they are unlikely to contribute to chlamydial disease as they are rare members of the urogenital and ocular microbiota communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda E Vidgen
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Faculty of Science, Health, Education & Engineering, Centre for Animal Health Innovation, Locked Bag 4, Maroochydore, Qld 4558, Australia
| | - Jonathan Hanger
- Endeavour Veterinary Ecology Pty Ltd., 1695 Pumicestone Rd., Toorbul, Qld 4510, Australia
| | - Peter Timms
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Faculty of Science, Health, Education & Engineering, Centre for Animal Health Innovation, Locked Bag 4, Maroochydore, Qld 4558, Australia.
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Párducz L, Eszik I, Wagner G, Burián K, Endrész V, Virok DP. Impact of antiseptics on Chlamydia trachomatis growth. Lett Appl Microbiol 2017; 63:260-7. [PMID: 27472980 DOI: 10.1111/lam.12625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Bacterial vaginosis is a frequent dysbiosis, where the normal lactobacillus-dominated flora is replaced by an anaerob/aerob polymicrobial flora. Bacterial vaginosis increases the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STI) including the most frequent Chlamydia trachomatis infections. Intravaginal antiseptics are part of the bacterial vaginosis treatment, and ideally they should also inhibit the bacterial vaginosis-related STI. Therefore, we tested the antichlamydial activity of four antiseptics: iodine aqueous solution, povidone-iodine, chlorhexidine and borax. First, we measured the impact of antiseptics on the viability of the HeLa cervical epithelial cells, and calculated the maximum nontoxic concentrations. Next, we infected the cells with C. trachomatis preincubated for 1 h with the particular antiseptic. The chlamydial growth was measured by direct quantitative PCR (qPCR) of the infected cells. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of chlorhexidine and povidone-iodine were 3·91 and 97 μg ml(-1) respectively; however, the MIC of chlorhexidine was close to its maximum nontoxic concentration. The iodine aqueous solution and the borax showed no antichlamydial activity. Our in vitro studies showed that chlorhexidine and particularly povidone-iodine are potentially able to limit the bacterial vaginosis-related C. trachomatis infection. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY We measured the antichlamydial effects of various antiseptics. These antiseptics are being used for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, but their effect on the bacterial vaginosis-related sexually transmitted infections, particularly the most frequent Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) infections has not been investigated. We showed that povidone-iodine (Betadine) inhibited the chlamydial growth in concentrations that was not toxic to the epithelial cells. We concluded that due to its additional antichlamydial effect, povidone-iodine could be a preferable antiseptic in bacterial vaginosis treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Párducz
- Pándy Kálmán County Hospital, Gyula, Hungary
| | - I Eszik
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - G Wagner
- Pándy Kálmán County Hospital, Gyula, Hungary
| | - K Burián
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - V Endrész
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - D P Virok
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
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Haldar AK, Piro AS, Finethy R, Espenschied ST, Brown HE, Giebel AM, Frickel EM, Nelson DE, Coers J. Chlamydia trachomatis Is Resistant to Inclusion Ubiquitination and Associated Host Defense in Gamma Interferon-Primed Human Epithelial Cells. mBio 2016; 7:e01417-16. [PMID: 27965446 PMCID: PMC5156299 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01417-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The cytokine gamma interferon (IFN-γ) induces cell-autonomous immunity to combat infections with intracellular pathogens, such as the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis The present study demonstrates that IFN-γ-primed human cells ubiquitinate and eliminate intracellular Chlamydia-containing vacuoles, so-called inclusions. We previously described how IFN-γ-inducible immunity-related GTPases (IRGs) employ ubiquitin systems to mark inclusions for destruction in mouse cells and, furthermore, showed that the rodent pathogen Chlamydia muridarum blocks ubiquitination of its inclusions by interfering with mouse IRG function. Here, we report that ubiquitination of inclusions in human cells is independent of IRG and thus distinct from the murine pathway. We show that C. muridarum is susceptible to inclusion ubiquitination in human cells, while the closely related human pathogen C. trachomatis is resistant. C. muridarum, but not C. trachomatis, inclusions attract several markers of cell-autonomous immunity, including the ubiquitin-binding protein p62, the ubiquitin-like protein LC3, and guanylate-binding protein 1. Consequently, we find that IFN-γ priming of human epithelial cells triggers the elimination of C. muridarum, but not C. trachomatis, inclusions. This newly described defense pathway is independent of indole-2,3-dioxygenase, a known IFN-γ-inducible anti-Chlamydia resistance factor. Collectively, our observations indicate that C. trachomatis evolved mechanisms to avoid a human-specific, ubiquitin-mediated response as part of its unique adaptation to its human host. IMPORTANCE Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading cause of sexually transmitted bacterial infections and responsible for significant morbidity, including pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and ectopic pregnancies in women. As an obligate intracellular pathogen, C. trachomatis is in perpetual conflict with cell-intrinsic defense programs executed by its human host. Our study defines a novel anti-Chlamydia host resistance pathway active in human epithelial cells. This defense program promotes the deposition of the small antimicrobial protein ubiquitin on vacuoles containing Chlamydia We show that this ubiquitin-based resistance pathway of human cells is highly effective against a Chlamydia species adapted to rodents but ineffective against human-adapted C. trachomatis This observation indicates that C. trachomatis evolved strategies to avoid entrapment within ubiquitin-labeled vacuoles as part of its adaptation to the human innate immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun K Haldar
- Departments of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Anthony S Piro
- Departments of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ryan Finethy
- Departments of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Scott T Espenschied
- Departments of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Hannah E Brown
- Departments of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Amanda M Giebel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Eva-Maria Frickel
- The Francis Crick Institute, Host-Toxoplasma Interaction Laboratory, London, United Kingdom
| | - David E Nelson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Jörn Coers
- Departments of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Doyle C, Swain WA, Ewald HAS, Cook CL, Ewald PW. Sexually Transmitted Pathogens, Depression, and Other Manifestations Associated with Premenstrual Syndrome. HUMAN NATURE-AN INTERDISCIPLINARY BIOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE 2016; 26:277-91. [PMID: 26272230 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-015-9238-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated whether sexually transmitted infections and lifestyle variables are associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) as well as particular manifestations commonly associated with PMS. Data were gathered from medical records of 500 regularly cycling women. The following infectious agents were investigated: human papillomavirus, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrheae, Gardnerella vaginalis, Candida albicans, and Trichomonas vaginalis. Bivariate tests and multivariate logistic regressions were used to evaluate whether these pathogens were associated with headache, pain, nausea, and depression. Chlamydia trachomatis was significantly associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and two common manifestations of PMS: depression and pain. Trichomonas vaginalis was significantly correlated with headache and Gardnerella vaginalis with nausea. None of the illness manifestations was significantly associated with the tested lifestyle variables: dietary calcium supplementation, alcohol and drug use, exercise, and smoking. These associations provide a basis for assessment of infectious causation of PMS and several manifestations of illness that are commonly associated with PMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Doyle
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA,
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In vitro rescue of genital strains of Chlamydia trachomatis from interferon-γ and tryptophan depletion with indole-positive, but not indole-negative Prevotella spp. BMC Microbiol 2016; 16:286. [PMID: 27914477 PMCID: PMC5135834 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-016-0903-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The natural course of sexually transmitted infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis varies between individuals. In addition to parasite and host effects, the vaginal microbiota might play a key role in the outcome of C. trachomatis infections. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), known for its anti-chlamydial properties, activates the expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1) in epithelial cells, an enzyme that catabolizes the amino acid L- tryptophan into N-formylkynurenine, depleting the host cell’s pool of tryptophan. Although C. trachomatis is a tryptophan auxotroph, urogenital strains (but not ocular strains) have been shown in vitro to have the ability to produce tryptophan from indole using the tryptophan synthase (trpBA) gene. It has been suggested that indole producing bacteria from the vaginal microbiota could influence the outcome of Chlamydia infection. Results We used two in vitro models (treatment with IFN-γ or direct limitation of tryptophan), to study the effects of direct rescue by the addition of exogenous indole, or by the addition of culture supernatant from indole-positive versus indole-negative Prevotella strains, on the growth and infectivity of C. trachomatis. We found that only supernatants from the indole-positive strains, P. intermedia and P. nigrescens, were able to rescue tryptophan-starved C. trachomatis. In addition, we analyzed vaginal secretion samples to determine physiological indole concentrations. In spite of the complexity of vaginal secretions, we demonstrated that for some vaginal specimens with higher indole levels, there was a link to higher recovery of the Chlamydia under tryptophan-starved conditions, lending preliminary support to the critical role of the IFN-γ-tryptophan-indole axis in vivo. Conclusions Our data provide evidence for the ability of both exogenous indole as well as supernatant from indole producing bacteria such as Prevotella, to rescue genital C. trachomatis from tryptophan starvation. This adds weight to the hypothesis that the vaginal microbiota (particularly from women with lower levels of lactobacilli and higher levels of indole producing anaerobes) may be intrinsically linked to the outcome of chlamydial infections in some women. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12866-016-0903-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Choopara I, Arunrut N, Kiatpathomchai W, Dean D, Somboonna N. Rapid and visual Chlamydia trachomatis detection using loop-mediated isothermal amplification and hydroxynaphthol blue. Lett Appl Microbiol 2016; 64:51-56. [PMID: 27689353 DOI: 10.1111/lam.12675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Revised: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
We developed an assay comprising crude DNA lysis by simple heat treatment coupled loop-mediated isothermal amplification with hydroxynaphthol blue for Chlamydia trachomatis detection (petty patent pending), and evaluated the developed assay for its feasibility as a one-step point-of-care detection on 284 endocervical swab specimens from clinically symptomatic C. trachomatis and healthy subjects. This assay is sensitive to 0·04 pg of ompA, specific with six primers targeting C. trachomatis ompA region, rapid (45 min total assay time), inexpensive (approx. 3 USD/reaction), does not require sophisticated instrumentation, and has comparable assay effectiveness (95% specificity, 90-100% sensitivity) to bacterial DNA isolation by a commercial kit coupled with polymerase chain reaction and gel electrophoresis (98-100% specificity, 87-100% sensitivity) based on the clinical samples test. The test result could be read by naked eye through the colour change from violet (negative) to sky blue (positive) for C. trachomatis-infected specimens. Further, this assay uses all safe chemical reagents and is hence safe to the users. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY Chlamydia trachomatis is the major bacterial sexually transmitted disease worldwide. The clinical symptoms are broad, and chronic C. trachomatis infections could lead to blindness, ectopic pregnancy, sterility in males and females, and a higher risk of the development of cervical cancer. The result indicates the potential usefulness of our crude DNA lysis coupled loop-mediated isothermal amplification with hydroxynaphthol blue for a simple, rapid, specific, sensitive and cost-effective assay for C. trachomatis detection from suspected specimens. This assay offers an alternative in the clinical diagnosis of C. trachomatis in resource-limited health-care facilities and clinical laboratories in developing countries, and in field tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Choopara
- Program in Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - N Arunrut
- Bioengineering and Sensing Technology Laboratory, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - W Kiatpathomchai
- Bioengineering and Sensing Technology Laboratory, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - D Dean
- Center for Immunobiology and Vaccine Development, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Joint Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - N Somboonna
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Omics Sciences and Bioinformatics Center, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Finethy R, Coers J. Sensing the enemy, containing the threat: cell-autonomous immunity to Chlamydia trachomatis. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2016; 40:875-893. [PMID: 28201690 PMCID: PMC5975928 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuw027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 07/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is the etiological agent of the most common sexually transmitted infection in North America and Europe. Medical complications resulting from genital C. trachomatis infections arise predominantly in women where the initial infections often remain asymptomatic and thus unrecognized. Untreated asymptomatic infections in women can ascend into the upper genital tract and establish persistence, ultimately resulting in extensive scarring of the reproductive organs, pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and ectopic pregnancies. Previously resolved C. trachomatis infections fail to provide protective immune memory, and no effective vaccine against C. trachomatis is currently available. Critical determinants of the pathogenesis and immunogenicity of genital C. trachomatis infections are cell-autonomous immune responses. Cell-autonomous immunity describes the ability of an individual host cell to launch intrinsic immune circuits that execute the detection, containment and elimination of cell-invading pathogens. As an obligate intracellular pathogen C. trachomatis is constantly under attack by cell-intrinsic host defenses. Accordingly, C. trachomatis evolved to subvert and co-opt cell-autonomous immune pathways. This review will provide a critical summary of our current understanding of cell-autonomous immunity to C. trachomatis and its role in shaping host resistance, inflammation and adaptive immunity to genital C. trachomatis infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Finethy
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jörn Coers
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
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Sherchand SP, Ibana JA, Zea AH, Quayle AJ, Aiyar A. The High-Risk Human Papillomavirus E6 Oncogene Exacerbates the Negative Effect of Tryptophan Starvation on the Development of Chlamydia trachomatis. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0163174. [PMID: 27658027 PMCID: PMC5033384 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen that requires specific essential nutrients from the host cell, one of which is the amino acid tryptophan. In this context interferon gamma (IFNγ) is the major host protective cytokine against chlamydial infections because it induces the expression of the host enzyme, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1, that degrades tryptophan, thereby restricting bacterial replication. The mechanism by which IFNγ acts has been dissected in vitro using epithelial cell-lines such as HeLa, HEp-2, or the primary-like endocervical cell-line A2EN. All these cell-lines express the high-risk human papillomavirus oncogenes E6 & E7. While screening cell-lines to identify those suitable for C. trachomatis co-infections with other genital pathogens, we unexpectedly found that tryptophan starvation did not completely block chlamydial development in cell-lines that were HR-HPV negative, such as C33A and 293. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that HR-HPV oncogenes modulate the effect of tryptophan starvation on chlamydial development by comparing chlamydial development in HeLa and C33A cell-lines that were both derived from cervical carcinomas. Our results indicate that during tryptophan depletion, unlike HeLa, C33A cells generate sufficient intracellular tryptophan via proteasomal activity to permit C. trachomatis replication. By generating stable derivatives of C33A that expressed HPV16 E6, E7 or E6 & E7, we found that E6 expression alone was sufficient to convert C33A cells to behave like HeLa during tryptophan starvation. The reduced tryptophan levels in HeLa cells have a biological consequence; akin to the previously described effect of IFNγ, tryptophan starvation protects C. trachomatis from clearance by doxycycline in HeLa but not C33A cells. Curiously, when compared to the known Homo sapiens proteome, the representation of tryptophan in the HR-HPV E6 & E6AP degradome is substantially lower, possibly providing a mechanism that underlies the lowered intracellular free tryptophan levels in E6-expressing cells during starvation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shardulendra P. Sherchand
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Parasitology, LSU Health Sciences Center, 1901 Perdido Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States of America
| | - Joyce A. Ibana
- Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines, PH, 1101
| | - Arnold H. Zea
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Parasitology, LSU Health Sciences Center, 1901 Perdido Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States of America
| | - Alison J. Quayle
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Parasitology, LSU Health Sciences Center, 1901 Perdido Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States of America
| | - Ashok Aiyar
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Parasitology, LSU Health Sciences Center, 1901 Perdido Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Beyond Tryptophan Synthase: Identification of Genes That Contribute to Chlamydia trachomatis Survival during Gamma Interferon-Induced Persistence and Reactivation. Infect Immun 2016; 84:2791-801. [PMID: 27430273 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00356-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis can enter a viable but nonculturable state in vitro termed persistence. A common feature of C. trachomatis persistence models is that reticulate bodies fail to divide and make few infectious progeny until the persistence-inducing stressor is removed. One model of persistence that has relevance to human disease involves tryptophan limitation mediated by the host enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, which converts l-tryptophan to N-formylkynurenine. Genital C. trachomatis strains can counter tryptophan limitation because they encode a tryptophan-synthesizing enzyme. Tryptophan synthase is the only enzyme that has been confirmed to play a role in interferon gamma (IFN-γ)-induced persistence, although profound changes in chlamydial physiology and gene expression occur in the presence of persistence-inducing stressors. Thus, we screened a population of mutagenized C. trachomatis strains for mutants that failed to reactivate from IFN-γ-induced persistence. Six mutants were identified, and the mutations linked to the persistence phenotype in three of these were successfully mapped. One mutant had a missense mutation in tryptophan synthase; however, this mutant behaved differently from previously described synthase null mutants. Two hypothetical genes of unknown function, ctl0225 and ctl0694, were also identified and may be involved in amino acid transport and DNA damage repair, respectively. Our results indicate that C. trachomatis utilizes functionally diverse genes to mediate survival during and reactivation from persistence in HeLa cells.
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50
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Fozo EM, Rucks EA. The Making and Taking of Lipids: The Role of Bacterial Lipid Synthesis and the Harnessing of Host Lipids in Bacterial Pathogenesis. Adv Microb Physiol 2016; 69:51-155. [PMID: 27720012 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2016.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In order to survive environmental stressors, including those induced by growth in the human host, bacterial pathogens will adjust their membrane physiology accordingly. These physiological changes also include the use of host-derived lipids to alter their own membranes and feed central metabolic pathways. Within the host, the pathogen is exposed to many stressful stimuli. A resulting adaptation is for pathogens to scavenge the host environment for readily available lipid sources. The pathogen takes advantage of these host-derived lipids to increase or decrease the rigidity of their own membranes, to provide themselves with valuable precursors to feed central metabolic pathways, or to impact host signalling and processes. Within, we review the diverse mechanisms that both extracellular and intracellular pathogens employ to alter their own membranes as well as their use of host-derived lipids in membrane synthesis and modification, in order to increase survival and perpetuate disease within the human host. Furthermore, we discuss how pathogen employed mechanistic utilization of host-derived lipids allows for their persistence, survival and potentiation of disease. A more thorough understanding of all of these mechanisms will have direct consequences for the development of new therapeutics, and specifically, therapeutics that target pathogens, while preserving normal flora.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Fozo
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States.
| | - E A Rucks
- Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, United States.
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