Effects of interferon gamma on Chlamydia trachomatis serovar A and L2 protein expression investigated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.
Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular bacterium causing human ocular and genital disease. The lymphokine interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) is an important immune effector exerting antimicrobial effects towards several intracellular parasites, the chlamydia included. IFN-gamma has been reported to inhibit the chlamydial replication in vitro in part by depleting intracellular levels of tryptophan in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, down-regulation of important immunogens has been described. These findings are extended in this paper, in which we are combining pulse labeling with [35S]methionine and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis with immobilized pH gradients in order to investigate changes in the protein expression of C. trachomatis serovar A and L2 caused by treatment with IFN-gamma. In contrast to what was observed in C. trachomatis L2, our results showed that, in C. trachomatis A, down-regulations of the chlamydia major outer membrane protein and of several other proteins were detectable upon IFN-gamma treatment. In addition, we report the up-regulations of C. trachomatis A and L2 proteins with molecular masses of approximately 30 kDa and 40 kDa which may be part of an, as yet, uncharacterized chlamydial response to IFN-gamma treatment.
Shaw
A C
AC
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Aarhus, Denmark. shaw@medmicro.aau.dk
Christiansen
G
G
Birkelund
S
S
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D012703:Serotyping
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma