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J Med Microbiol 56 (2007), 1025-1032; DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.47241-0
© 2007 Society for General Microbiology
ISSN 1473-5644

Interaction of Chlamydia trachomatis serovar E with male genital tract epithelium results in secretion of proinflammatory cytokines

Najwa Al-Mously and Adrian Eley{dagger}

Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Medical Research, Unit of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK

Correspondence
Adrian Eley
adrian.eley{at}uaeu.ac.ae

Received 20 February 2007
Accepted 16 April 2007

Although much has been reported on the in vitro interaction of Chlamydia trachomatis with cells derived from the female genital tract, little is known of its interaction with male genital tract epithelium. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of C. trachomatis serovar E on immortalized normal human urethral epithelial cells and on immortalized normal adult human prostate epithelial cells with regard to chlamydial growth and secretion of cytokines. After infection, these epithelial cells were assessed for their support of chlamydial growth in comparison with HeLa cells, and cytokine levels in cell culture supernatants were determined by ELISA. Although the male-derived epithelial cells supported growth of chlamydiae, the best growth was seen in HeLa cells. In contrast to prostate epithelial cells, the urethral epithelial cells released much larger quantities of interleukin 1{alpha} (IL-1{alpha}) following infection, whereas both IL-6 and IL-8 were produced in larger quantities by infected prostate cells. At 7 days post-infection, HeLa cells consistently produced large quantities of all three cytokines. In conclusion, the male-derived cell lines were shown to support the invasion of C. trachomatis and initiate a proinflammatory response to infection. From in vitro studies the suggestion that high levels of IL-6 could be a possible marker for chlamydial prostatitis is confirmed. Although not as marked a change, it is also suggested that higher IL-8 levels could be associated more with infection of the prostate than the urethra. Differential cytokine production by different male-derived epithelial cells could help determine the site of chlamydial infection and help in the study of pathogenesis.

Abbreviations: BPH, benign prostatic hypertrophy; EB, elementary body; IFU, inclusion forming unit; IL, interleukin; RB, reticulate body; TNF{alpha}, tumour necrosis factor alpha.

{dagger}Present address: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.




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K. A. Cunningham and K. W. Beagley
Male Genital Tract Chlamydial Infection: Implications for Pathology and Infertility
Biol Reprod, August 1, 2008; 79(2): 180 - 189.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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