Alteration of Chlamydia trachomatis biologic behavior in synovial membranes. Suppression of surface antigen production in reactive arthritis and Reiter's syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the biologic state of Chlamydia and its surface antigen expression in the synovial membranes of patients with Chlamydia-associated reactive arthritis/Reiter's syndrome (ReA/RS).


METHODS
Expression of chlamydial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), major outer membrane protein (MOMP), and elementary body (EB) antigens was studied by gold labeling immunoelectron microscopy on 6 synovial membrane and 2 synovial fluid (SF) pellet samples from 6 patients with Chlamydia-associated arthritis. The study findings were compared with 24-hour cultures of HeLa cells infected with Chlamydia trachomatis EB.


RESULTS
Persistent C trachomatis infection was found in all 6 synovial membrane samples from patients who had either early or chronic arthritis. The infection persisted despite antibiotic treatment, including a 1-month course of doxycycline therapy. Most persistent organisms were atypical reticulate bodies (RBs) found in both fibroblasts and macrophages. Specific, but weak, immunogold staining for all 3 antibodies was found on both intracellular RBs and extracellular EBs. In the SF samples, Chlamydia surface antigens were detected only in phagosomes containing degraded electron-dense materials.


CONCLUSIONS
The synovial membrane biopsies conducted in this study of Chlamydia-associated ReA/RS revealed atypical RBs with diminished MOMP and LPS expression. Such altered organisms may escape immune surveillance and contribute to disease chronicity; moreover, these organisms may be difficult to detect and treat in some ReA/RS patients.
Nanagara
R
R
KhonKaen University, Thailand.
Li
F
F
Beutler
A
A
Hudson
A
A
Schumacher
H R
HR
D000328:Adult; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D016918:Arthritis, Reactive / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D008875:Middle Aged; D018272:Porins; D000091402:Prohibitins; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C000717331:PHB2 protein, human; D018272:Porins; D000091402:Prohibitins; C071677:omp1 protein, Chlamydia trachomatis