Cell-mediated immune response to the recombinant 57-kDa heat-shock protein of Chlamydia trachomatis in women with salpingitis.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 9 of 18 women with laparoscopy-verified salpingitis proliferated in response to recombinant Chlamydia trachomatis 57-kDa heat shock protein (hsp). In contrast, PBMC from 0 of 10 women with cervicitis, 1 of 5 women with recurrent abortions, and 3 (7.1%) of 42 healthy reproductive-age women were responsive to hsp (P < .001). After passage of the hsp through an endotoxin-removing column, PBMC from 6 of 14 additional women with salpingitis were responsive to hsp, while those from 10 controls, including the 3 previously positive women, were negative. PBMC from all patients responsive to the chlamydial hsp were unresponsive to Mycobacterium bovis 65-kDa hsp. PBMC from 6 of the 15 women with a positive hsp-induced lymphocyte response were unresponsive to C. trachomatis elementary bodies. Induction of a cell-mediated immune response to the chlamydial 57-kDa hsp is a common feature of an upper genital tract infection but does not appear to be limited to women with apparent chlamydial infections.
Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY 10021.
S S
SS
Witkin
J
J
Jeremias
M
M
Toth
W J
WJ
Ledger
D000328:Adult; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012488:Salpingitis / Q000276:immunology*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004731:Endotoxins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins