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Transient Detection of Chlamydial‐Specific T h1 Memory Cells in the Peripheral Circulation of Women with History of C hlamydia trachomatis Genital Tract Infection
Author(s) -
Vicetti Miguel Rodolfo D.,
Reighard Seth D.,
Chavez Jean M.,
Rabe Lorna K.,
Maryak Samantha A.,
Wiesenfeld Harold C.,
Cherpes Thomas L.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.071
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 1046-7408
DOI - 10.1111/aji.12008
Subject(s) - elispot , immunology , chlamydia trachomatis , immune system , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , immunization , biology , antigen , pathogen , interferon , virology , medicine , t cell , biochemistry , in vitro
Problem Development of safe and effective C hlamydia trachomatis vaccines requires better understanding of the host immune responses elicited by natural infection. Method of study Peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from women with or without history of genital tract chlamydial infection were stimulated with inactivated C . trachomatis elementary bodies ( EB ) in ELISPOT assays that enumerated frequencies of cells producing interferon ( IFN )‐γ or interleukin ( IL )‐17. Results IFN ‐γ‐positive cells were highest among women sampled 30–60 days after diagnosis of C . trachomatis infection and treatment initiation, while the numbers of IFN ‐γ‐positive cells were equally low among uninfected women and women sampled <30 or >60 days after diagnosis of infection. Conversely, IL ‐17‐positive cell numbers were uniformly low among all participants. Conclusion Dramatically reduced numbers of C hlamydia ‐specific T h1 memory cells in the peripheral circulation of study participants sampled more than 2 months after diagnosis, and initiation of treatment provides new insight into the results from C . trachomatis vaccine trials, in which immunization with EB provided only short‐lived protection. Our results also suggest that an effective vaccine against this weakly antigenic intracellular pathogen will need to generate immunological memory more durable than that elicited by natural infection.