| First Author | Su H | Year | 1997 |
| Journal | Infect Immun | Volume | 65 |
| Issue | 6 | Pages | 1993-9 |
| PubMed ID | 9169723 | Mgi Jnum | J:40576 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:707924 | Doi | 10.1128/iai.65.6.1993-1999.1997 |
| Citation | Su H, et al. (1997) Chlamydia trachomatis genital tract infection of antibody-deficient gene knockout mice. Infect Immun 65(6):1993-9 |
| abstractText | The importance of antibody-mediated immunity in primary and secondary Chlamydia trachomatis genital tract infections was examined by using a definitive model of B-cell deficiency, the microMT/microMT gene knockout mouse. Vaginally infected B-cell-deficient microMT/microMT mice developed a self-limiting primary infection that was indistinguishable from infection of control C57BL/6 mice. Sera and vaginal secretions from infected mice were analyzed for anti-Chlamydia antibodies. C57BL/6 mice produced high-titered serum anti-Chlamydia immunoglobulin G2a (IgG2a), IgG2b, and IgA antibodies, and vaginal washes contained predominately anti-Chlamydia IgA. Serum and vaginal washes from infected B-cell-deficient mice were negative for anti-Chlamydia antibody. T-cell proliferation and delayed-type hypersensitivity assays were used as measures of Chlamydia-specific cell-mediated immunity and were found to be comparable for C57BL/6 and B-cell-deficient mice. Seventy days following primary infection, mice were rechallenged to assess acquired immunity. B-cell-deficient mice which lack anti-Chlamydia antibodies were more susceptible to reinfection than immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice. However, acquired immune resistance was evident in both strains of mice and characterized by decreased shedding of chlamydiae and an infection of shorter duration. Thus, this study demonstrates that cell-mediated immune responses alone were capable of resolving chlamydial infection; however, in the absence of specific antibody, mice were more susceptible to reinfection. Therefore, these data suggest that both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses were important mediators of immune protection in this model, though cell-mediated immune responses appear to play a more dominant role. |
