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.
Witkin
S S
SS
Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY 10021.
Jeremias
J
J
Toth
M
M
Ledger
W J
WJ
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