Albumin enhances chlamydial infectivity on human placental cells.
Chlamydia trachomatis (L2) adhere to and infect chorionic membrane in vitro. Similarly, chlamydiae pre-exposed to either chorion homogenate, newborn calf serum or pure bovine serum albumin display a higher infectivity against mouse fibroblast cells in vitro. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the chorion homogenate displays a peptide band which co-migrates with albumin. Isolated chlamydiae stripped of protein with trypsin and exposed to albumin-containing solutions are precipitated by both anti-chlamydia and anti-albumin antibody. These findings suggest that albumin may selectively adhere to the surface of chlamydiae and serve an intermediary role in the infectious process.
Stokes
G V
GV
Department of Microbiology, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20037.
Isada
N B
NB
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002823:Chorion / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D007739:L Cells; D051379:Mice; D010920:Placenta / Q000382:microbiology*; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014357:Trypsin / Q000378:metabolism
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014357:Trypsin