Growth of Chlamydia pneumoniae in cultured human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and induction of a cytokine response.
In vitro infection of freshly isolated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (HPBMC) with Chlamydia pneumoniae was found to induce a production of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon alpha (IFN-alpha). The secretion was dependent on the amount of infecting chlamydiae and most of it occurred during the first 12 to 24 h. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Salmonella minnesota Rechemotype, used as a positive control for HPBMC activation, induced a release of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-6, but not of IFN-alpha, similar to the effect of C. pneumoniae. Viable chlamydiae could not be recovered from HPBMCs infected immediately after their isolation, whereas HPBMCs which were cultured in vitro for 3 to 9 days before infection were able to maintain the growth of C. pneumoniae. Growth inside HPBMCs as well as induction of cytokine response may have a role in the pathogenesis of C. pneumoniae infection.
Kaukoranta-Tolvanen
S S
SS
National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
Teppo
A M
AM
Laitinen
K
K
Saikku
P
P
Linnavuori
K
K
Leinonen
M
M
D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000254:growth & development*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000382:microbiology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
D016207:Cytokines; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha